Two of hurling’s great occasions are whetting the appetite for supporters as they look forward to the Munster and Leinster finals next Sunday.
Apart from the honour of being crowned provincial champions, the winners get the added prize of direct entry to the All-Ireland semi-finals while the losers advance to the quarterfinals.
It’s all set up for a double-spectacular in Limerick and Croke Park as follows:
• Munster final: Clare v Limerick, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 1.45pm
• Leinster final: Galway v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 4.00pm
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GALWAY v KILKENNY
Kilkenny are bidding for a fourth successive Leinster title while Galway last won in 2018. Kilkenny won three, drew one and lost one of their five ‘round robin’ games this year; Galway won three and drew two, one of which was against Kilkenny in a Round 2 clash in Nowlan Park.
Galway manager Henry Shefflin has been chatting to Galway Bay FM's Niall Canavan.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL
GALWAY:
• Galway 0-24 Wexford 2-12
• Galway 1-25 Kilkenny 0-28
• Galway 6-33 Westmeath 0-17
• Galway 5-29 Antrim 1-22
• Galway 1-25 Dublin 2-22
Top Scorers
1. Evan Niland..............0-48 (0-26 frees, 0-4‘65s’)
2. Conor Whelan............5-5
3. Kevin Cooney..............2-9
4. Brian Concannon.........2-8
5. Conor Cooney..........0-10
6. Declan McLoughlin...1-7
KILKENNY:
• Kilkenny 0-29 Westmeath 0-7
• Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25
• Kilkenny 5-31 Antrim 3-20
• Kilkenny 0-27 Dublin 0-21
• Wexford 4-23 Kilkenny 5-18
Top Scorers
1. TJ Reid...................2-45 (0-31 frees. 0-5 ‘65s’)
2. Eoin Cody...............3-13
3. Martin Keoghan......4-9
4. Adrian Mullen.......0-13
5. Tom Phelan.............1-8
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
• 2023: Galway 1-25 Kilkenny 0-28 (Leinster ‘round robin)
• 2022: Kilkenny 0-22 Galway 0-17 (Leinster final)
• 2022: Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 (Leinster round robin)
• 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24 (Leinster final)
• 2019: Galway 3-20 Kilkenny 2-22 (Leinster round robin)
PREVIOUS LEINSTER FINAL MEETINGS
This will be the ninth Leinster final between the counties. It’s 5-2 to Kilkenny with one draw from the previous eight.
• 2022: Kilkenny 0-22 Galway 0-17
• 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24
• 2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Replay)
• 2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Draw)
• 2016: Kilkenny 1-26 Galway 0-22
• 2015: Kilkenny 1-25 Galway 2-15
• 2012: Galway 2-21 Kilkenny 2-11
• 2010: Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 1-12
*This will be the 51st championship meeting between Galway and Kilkenny. The Cats lead 33-13 with four draws from the previous 50 clashes.
*Henry Shefflin played against Galway thirteen times in the championship (two as a sub in 2014). He was on the winning side eight times, lost three and drew two.
*Derek Lyng and Henry Shefflin played together on Kilkenny teams that won six Leinster finals.
*Galway have played in ten finals since joining the Leinster championship in 2009, winning three, drawing one and losing six. Their wins were against Kilkenny in 2012 and 2018 and Wexford 2017. The draw was in 2018 against Kilkenny who beat them in 2010-15-16-20-22. Dublin beat them in the 2013 final.
*Galway have scored only two goals in their last four championship meetings with Kilkenny who have scored five. Leinster SHC titles (last won in brackets): Kilkenny 74 (2022); Dublin 24 (2013); Wexford 21 (2019); Offaly 9 (1995); Laois 3 (1949); Galway 3 (2018). Galway joined the Leinster championship for the first time in 2009.
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CLARE v LIMERICK
Limerick are bidding to win the Munster title for the 24th time; Clare are seeking their seventh success. They meet in the final for a second successive year; Limerick won by three points after extra time last year. Clare won three and lost one of their four Munster games this year. Limerick won two, drew one and lost one of their four games.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL
CLARE:
• Tipperary 5-22 Clare 3-23
• Clare 1-24 Limerick 2-20
• Clare 2-22 Waterford 0-16
• Clare 2-22 Cork 3-18
Top Scorers
1. Tony Kelly...................2-22 (0-8 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘65’)
2. Aidan McCarthy.........1-23 (0-12 frees, 0-3 ‘65s’)
3. Mark Rodgers...............2-4 (0-1 s/l)
4. Ryan Taylor..................0-6
5. Diarmuid Ryan..............0-6
6. Shane O’Donnell............0-6
LIMERICK:
• Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-19
• Clare 1-24 Limerick 2-20
• Limerick 0-25 Tipperary 0-25
• Limerick 3-25 Cork 1-30
Top Scorers
1. Aaron Gillane............0-25 (0-16 frees)
2. Diarmuid Byrnes........1-16 (0-19 frees, 1-0 pen)
3. Seamus Flanagan........4-5
4. Tom Morrissey...........0-12 (0-1 free)
5. Cathal O’Neill..............1-7
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
• 2023: Clare 1-24 Limerick 2-20 (Munster ‘round robin’)
• 2022: Limerick 1-29 Clare 0-29 aet (Munster final)
• 2022: Limerick 1-21 Clare 0-24 (Munster ‘round robin’)
• 2020: Limerick 0-36 Clare 1-23 (Munster quarter-final)
• 2019: Limerick 1-28 Clare 0-13 (Munster ‘round robin’)
LAST FIVE MUNSTER FINAL MEETINGS
• 2022: Limerick 1-29 Clare 0-29 aet
• 1995: Clare 1-17 Limerick 0-11
• 1994: Limerick 0-25 Clare 2-10
• 1981: Limerick 3-12 Clare 2-9
• 1974: Limerick 6-14 Clare 3-9
*Limerick are bidding to win the Munster title for a fifth successive year. Cork (1982-86) were the last to win the Munster five-in-a-row.
*Clare last won the Munster title in 1998. They have lost five finals since then.
*This will be the 60th championship game between the counties. Limerick won 37 to Clare’s 20 with two draws, from the previous 59.
*This will be the third big clash between Clare and Limerick this year. Limerick won the Allianz League tie (1-27 to 2-18); Clare won the Munster Round Robin game by 1-24 to 2-20.
*John Kiely is in his seventh season as Limerick manager. Their championship record in that period reads: Played 35; Won 25, Drew 3, Lost 7.
*Brian Lohan is in his fourth year as Clare manager. Their championship record in that period reads: Played 21, Won 13, Drew 1, Lost 7.
*Munster SHC titles (last year won in brackets): Cork 54 (2018); Tipperary 42 (2016); Limerick 23 (2022); Clare 6 (1998); Kerry 1 (1891)
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GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
LIAM MacCARTHY CUP
LEINSTER
Round 1: April 22: Antrim 1-19 Dublin 1-19, Corrigan Park; Galway 0-24 Wexford 2-12, Pearse Stadium; Kilkenny 0-29 Westmeath 0-7, UPMC Nowlan Park.
Round 2: April 29: Wexford 1-30 Antrim 1-26, Chadwicks Wexford Park; Dublin 2-23 Westmeath 1-14, Parnell Park; April 30: Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25, UPMC Nowlan Park.
Round 3: May 6: Dublin 1-22 Wexford 0-23, Croke Park; Galway 6-33 Westmeath 0-17, TEG Cusack Park; May 7: Kilkenny 5-31 Antrim 3-20 Corrigan Park.
Round 4: May 20: Kilkenny 0-27 Dublin 0-21, UPMC Nowlan Park; May 21: Galway 5-29 Antrim 1-22, Pearse Stadium; Westmeath 4-18, Wexford 2-22, Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Round 5: May 28: Wexford 4-23 Kilkenny 5-18, Chadwicks Wexford Park; Dublin 2-22 Galway 1-25, Croke Park; Antrim 4-24 Westmeath 1-19, TEG Cusack Park.
Final: June 11: Galway v Kilkenny, Croke Park
MUNSTER
Round 1: April 23: Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-19, FBD Semple Stadium; Tipperary 5-22 Clare 3-23, Ennis.
Round 2: April 29: Clare 1-24 Limerick 2-20 TUS Gaelic Grounds; April 30: Cork 0-27 Waterford 0-18, Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Round 3: May 6: Cork 4-19 Tipperary 2-25, Pairc Ui Chaoimh; May 13: Clare 2-22 Waterford 0-16, FBD Semple Stadium.
Round 4: May 21: Clare 2-22 Cork 3-18, Ennis; Tipperary 0-25 Limerick 0-25, FBD Semple Stadium.
Round 5: May 28: Limerick 3-25 Cork 1-30, TUS Gaelic Grounds; Waterford 1-24 Tipperary 0- 21, FBD Semple Stadium.
Final: June 11: Clare v Limerick
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Preliminary quarter-finals: June 17: Carlow v Dublin;
Offaly v Tipperary Quarter-finals: June 24: Galway/Kilkenny v Offaly/Tipperary; Clare/Limerick v Carlow/Dublin.
Semi-finals: July 8: Clare/Limerick v quarter-final winners; July 9: Galway/Kilkenny v quarterfinal winners. Both in Croke Park.
Final: July 23, Croke Park.
JOE McDONAGH CUP
Round 1: Kerry 1-26 Down 1-14; Carlow 5-23 Kildare 0-19; Offaly 3-19 Laois 1-22.
Round 2: April 16: Laois 7-24 Down 0-14; Offaly 2-22 Kildare 3-11; Kerry 0-21 Carlow 0-21.
Round 3: April 22: Kerry 1-17 Kildare 0-14; Carlow 1-22 Laois 1-22; Offaly 1-26 Down 1-15.
Round 4: May 6/7: Offaly 1-24 Kerry 0-16; Laois 1-23 Kildare 0-11; Carlow 6-23 Down 0-28.
Round 5: May 13: Down 1-27 Kildare 3-13; Carlow 1-29 Offaly 0-14; Laois 4-23 Kerry 0-21
Final: May 27: Carlow 2-29 Offaly 1-31 aet
