SATURDAY
Leinster SHC
Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium, 6pm
Kilkenny v Wexford, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6pm
Laois v Westmeath, MW Hire O'Moore Park, 6pm
Joe McDonagh Cup
Antrim v Kerry, Corrigan Park, 1pm
Down v Meath, Ballycran, 1pm
Offaly v Carlow, O'Connor Park, 1pm
Christy Ring Cup final
Kildare v Mayo, Croke Park, 5pm
Nickey Rackard Cup final
Tyrone v Roscommon, Croke Park, 3pm
Lory Meagher Cup final
Longford v Louth, Croke Park, 1pm
SUNDAY
Munster SHC
Clare v Waterford, Cusack Park, 4pm
Tipperary v Cork, FBD Insurance Semple Stadium, 4pm
ONLINE
Live updates on the Leinster SHC round-robin finale on Saturday evening from 5.45pm and the Munster SHC round-robin finale from 3.45pm on Sunday afternoon. Live scores from the Joe McDonagh final round of games and the finals of the Christy Ring, Nickey Rackard and Lory Meagher competitions.
TV
Simultaneous live coverage of both Munster SHC games on Sunday afternoon, Clare v Waterford live on RTÉ 1 from 4pm, with Tipperary v Cork live on RTÉ 2 from 3.15pm.
Live coverage of Kilkenny v Wexford on Saturday evening from 5.30pm on Sky Sports Arena and live coverage of Galway v Dublin (throw-in, 6pm) on GAA GO.
Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates from the Leinster SHC round robin finale from Nowlan Park and Pearse Stadium on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Likewise, full coverage of the Munster SHC round robin finale on Sunday evening, with commentary and updates from Ennis and Thurles.
WEATHER
Saturday: Staying generally cloudy tomorrow with just a few sunny spells. While a good deal of dry weather will occur some showery outbreaks of light rain will occur at times too, particularly in the west (where Galway host Dublin). Highest temperatures generally 14 to 17 degrees. South to southwest winds mostly light to moderate in strength but strong at times along Atlantic coasts. SUNDAY: Weather will brighten up in the afternoon with some sunshine in between showers. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees with moderate southwest breezes. For more, go to met.ie.
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Let the chips fall where they may...
The final weekend of the provincial leagues mean simultaneous throw-ins and, ideally, supporters in both grounds frantically scrolling their phones to check how the other game is going (a few heavy traditionalists might jam a transistor in their ear for old time's sake).
Three of what we might call the 'elite' counties will bid adieu to the championship for this year and catch us again in 2023. At present, all nine of the established first tier counties are still alive in the championship, although Tipperary, and possibly Wexford, are hanging on by their fingertips.
We've already gone over all the possible permutations at length for this weekend - including the possibility of a playoff in Munster - read all that here.
Tipp, Wexford and Waterford hanging by a thread
While any number of scenarios could play out this weekend, it appears likely - as Donal Óg tips below - that Tipperary and Wexford will get their final runout in the 2022 championship this weekend.
For Tipp fans, or at least the few they have left, that they're in with a shot at all is a bonus. Most were resigned to their team's exit from the championship even before the game in Limerick. They need at a minimum results to go their way and a big score difference swing - at least a six-point win over Cork and a 14-point swing vis a vis Waterford - to somehow clamber into the All-Ireland series. It's a big ask but it's more than they thought they'd have a week ago.
The team of the hour in early spring, Wexford supporters have returned to earth with a heavy thud in this year's Leinster championship. They ran up a cricket score against Laois but otherwise have played poorly, with a desperately lucky draw against a wasteful Galway followed by a loss against a Dublin side, who otherwise haven't been pulling up trees. Worst of all was the horror-show in Mullingar last weekend. Unlike Waterford, it is still in their hands in Kilkenny this weekend but it will require a turn of form they haven't shown so far.
Waterford will be most dismayed to find themselves in this position. The second-favourites' loss to Cork last weekend have left them staring elimination in the face - and there may be nothing they can do about it. Even if they deliver a statement win in Ennis, it will be all for nought if Cork get their work down in Semple. The famine will extend to 64 years.
Donal Óg's preview
The roller-coaster ride of the provincial round-robins comes to a finale while we're still dizzy from last week.
There are two huge games in Munster as the Banner play a shaken Déise and in Thurles it’s the Old Firm of Tipperary and Cork.
Clare and Limerick are guaranteed to meet in the Munster final while Cork, Tipp and Waterford desperately tussle for third spot.
If Cork beat Tipp they’re through and a draw would also suffice if Waterford draw or lose as Cork would finish above
Waterford on the head-to-head rule.
Meanwhile, Waterford need to beat Clare and hope that Tipperary can draw with or defeat the Rebels and the Deise must better Cork’s result to progress, having collapsed against Cork last Sunday.
Incredibly, Tipperary still have a chance of moving off bottom place and finishing about Cork and Waterford in the table. Tipp’s scoring difference is -19, Cork’s is -7 and Waterford’s is -5.
If Tipp can beat Cork by 7 points and Clare beat Waterford by 8 points, Tipperary will qualify in third place. Stranger things have happened.
The Tipp intrigue is added to by Liam Cahill needing a favour from his county men if Waterford are to progress.
On to Leinster, where three games go down on Saturday evening.
Laois and Westmeath fight it out to avoid the trapdoor. Westmeath are on a bit of a high after last week’s admirable draw against Wexford, who travel to Kilkenny while Dublin travel to Galway.
Galway are already through to the All-Ireland series but need a victory or a draw against the Dubs to take them to the Leinster final.
Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford are three teams vying for only two places. A win or a draw for Kilkenny tomorrow night would knock the Model County out and send both themselves and the Dubs through.
If Wexford win they then qualify at Dublin’s expense if the Dubs are defeated at Pearse Stadium, or, at Kilkenny’s expense if Matty Kenny’s side get a result in Galway.
The league campaign certainly seems a distant memory with Waterford, Wexford and Tipp the most likely losers for me.
Dónal Óg Cusack was speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
Joe McDonagh: Offaly seeking to keep the momentum going
Between Tralee last Saturday and Portloaise on Wednesday, we've come off the best week for Offaly hurling in many a year, possibly since the heady days. It would be a bum note if they failed to complete the job at home to Carlow this weekend, with a Joe McDonagh final appearance still in their hands.
The permutations have been done. A draw would be enough but a loss would doom them, whatever the outcome in Belfast, where Kerry meet Antrim. A loss for Offaly and either Carlow would trump them on the head-to-head or Kerry (if they win at the same time) would do so by virtue of their superior score difference.
Darren Gleeson's Antrim, who scored a scarcely believable 7-29 last time out in Navan, can put the feet up, if they wish. Down the bottom, Meath have shipped tonking after tonking this summer but can still survive on the head-to-head if they pull out a win in Down tomorrow.
Finals day in Croker
A triple header at GAA HQ as the deciders in the lower tiers take place, beginning with the Lory Meagher at 1pm and ending with the Christy Ring at 5pm.
In the Ring final, David Herity's Kildare will be heavily favoured to win and return to the Joe McDonagh, against a Mayo side who they walloped by 30-points just over a month ago.
The Mayo hurlers, buoyed by their stand in insisting on playing their critical final home game in MacHale Park, have improved since then, beating Wicklow, London, Sligo and then rivals Derry. But it should be a bridge too far against Kildare, the 2020 champions and a side who boast several stars from Naas' All-Ireland winning intermediate team.
Herity spoke to RTÉ's Damian Lawlor this week about the challenges involved in Naas' involvement and the need to keep the development going.
The Rackard final at 3pm sees Tyrone face off against Roscommon. The Connacht side topped the table and will be slightly favoured to return to the third tier at the first attempt. The Rossies decisively won the pair's encounter in Dr Hyde Park a fortnight ago, 3-24 to 0-21 the final score at the end.
In the Meagher final at 1pm, it's Longford against Louth, two sides who spent of the late 2010s at Rackard level. Only one point separated them in their round-robin meeting in the midlands, Longford winning by a single point. The midlanders won the competition in 2014, Louth taking the trophy in 2016.
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