Allianz Hurling League round 4
Saturday 11 March
Division 1 Group B
Tipperary v Waterford, FBD Semple Stadium, 7.15pm
Division 2A
Kildare v Kerry, Newbridge, 2pm
Offaly v Carlow, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 2pm
Division 2B
London v Sligo, Ruislip, 1pm
Tyrone v Meath, O'Neill's Healy Park, 2pm
Division 3B
Longford v Lancashire, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2pm
Cavan v Leitrim, Kingspan Breffni, 2pm
Sunday 12 March
Division 1 Group A
Clare v Galway, Cusack Park, Ennis, 1.45pm
Westmeath v Limerick, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm
Cork v Wexford, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.45pm
Division 1 Group B
Antrim v Laois, Corrigan Park, 1pm - BBC iPlayer
Kilkenny v Dublin, UPMC Nowlan Park, 1.45pm
Division 2A
Down v Derry, Ballycran, 1pm
Division 2B
Donegal v Wicklow, Letterkenny, 1pm
Division 3A
Roscommon v Armagh, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Louth v Fermanagh, Darver, 2pm
Mayo v Monaghan, Hastings MacHale Park, 2pm
TV
Tipperary v Waterford, Clare v Galway and Cork v Wexford live on TG4
Antrim v Laois live on GAAGO/BBC iPlayer
Kilkenny v Dublin deferred on TG4
Highlights on Allianz League Sunday, RTÉ2, 9.30pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app
RADIO
Updates and commentaries on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport
WEATHER
Saturday: Rain, sleet and snow will continue to extend northeastwards over the country on Saturday morning with transient accumulations across Connacht, Ulster and parts of Leinster before a clearance extends from the southwest during the afternoon and evening. Afternoon temperatures will range from 1 to 2 degrees in the north to 12 or 13 degrees in the southwest. Moderate and occasionally gusty southeast winds, fresh to strong near coasts, will veer west to southwest as the rain clears.
Sunday: Rain will become widespread during the morning, before transitioning to showers in the afternoon and evening. Afternoon highs of 10 to 14 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty southerly winds, strong near coasts.
For more see met.ie
Semple minds
We're nearing the business end of the Allianz Leagues and there's a Saturday night reunion at Semple Stadium to kick off a weekend devoted exclusively to the small ball.
Liam Cahill's Tipperary are one of two Division 1 teams with a 100% record and they can book their place in the semi-finals with a game to spare, if they can get one over on the team he managed for the previous three seasons: Waterford.
Tipp's head-to-head advantage over Kilkenny also means they could guarantee first place with a fourth successive win. But they haven't won against Waterford since the league meeting three years ago.
The Déise, now led by Davy Fitzgerald, are also unbeaten but are on five points after their dramatic draw with Dublin in round one.
On Sunday in Group B, the Cats host the Dubs in another meeting of two first-year managers.
Michael Donoghue's men need to record a first win over Kilkenny since the 2015 league - which was a first at Nowlan Park since 1964 - if they are to stay in contention for a spot in the last four.
Kilkenny beat Dublin by 13 points in last year's League and by 17 points in the Leinster championship.
Derek Lyng's side got back on track after that loss to the Premier by racking up 0-34 in their 13-point win over Laois last week.
Talisman TJ Reid revealed today that he is unlikely to return until the championship or league knock-out stages. His Ballyhale team-mate Adrian Mullen and Richie Hogan are on similar timeframes.
The O'Moore men travel to Antrim for what is effectively a relegation play-off play-off.
Both sides lost their first three so whoever is beaten on Sunday will play the bottom side from Group A to stay in Division 1.
A draw would take matters to the final week but Antrim have a healthier points difference (-17 to -45) so Laois would need to avoid defeat to Dublin in that case.
Wexicans at a crossroads
Following last week's six-goal annihilation at the hands of Clare, Wexford manager Darragh Egan would probably have preferred an easier fixture to rebuild morale than a trip to a Cork team that have won three from three.
The Rebels were league runners-up last year and look likely to have another chance at ending a 25-year wait for the title after victories over Limerick, Galway and Westmeath.
Another win would confirm a semi-final place though Clare could still potentially top the group.
Wexford did beat Westmeath so unless the Lake County were to take a point against Limerick this weekend or Galway next week then they should be safe regardless.
The All-Ireland champions have been in better form in this year's league and victory in Mullingar would leave them with six points and a very good chance of making the semi-finals.
Kyle Hayes will be absent after accepting a one-match ban for a strike on Brian Concannon in the round-three win over the Tribesmen.
Clare can end Galway's chances of progression in Ennis but losing would hand the initiative back to Limerick, who would pip them if it came down to head to head.
Galway won by two points in last year's league meeting.
The battle for the two slots in the 2A final has developed into a three-way contest between Kildare, Offaly and Kerry.
Carlow still have an outside chance but in addition to winning their last two games they would need other results to also go their way. Carlow last played Offaly in the league (2A) in 2021, losing by 2-25 to 1-17.
Kildare’s attempt to win a fourth successive game takes place in Newbridge where they meet Kerry, who dropped their first points when losing to Offaly by a point in the last round. Kerry beat Kildare by eight points in last year’s League.
Down v Derry is a bottom-of-the-table affair between two counties who have yet to pick up a point. Derry lost their first three games by an average of 13 points while Down’s average defeat was by seven points.
DIVISION 2B
Tyrone v Meath is a top-of-the-table clash between two counties who arrived in 2B this season from different directions. Meath were relegated from 2A while Tyrone came up from 3A.
Wicklow are also in the promotion hunt and could strengthen their case in Letterkenny against Donegal, who have lost two of three games. Donegal beat Wicklow by five points in last year's League.
Both London and Sligo are seeking their first points. Sligo beat London by nine points last year.
Monaghan lead the way on six points as they prepare to head to Castlebar to take on Mayo, who are bottom-of-the-table. They were expected to do better, having been in 2B last year.
Armagh take on Roscommon, who beat them by a point last year. The winners of Fermanagh and Louth will stay in the promotion race after their first league clash for two years. Louth won by ten points in 2021.
It’s a meeting of the top two at Kingspan Breffni as Cavan host Leitrim. Both teams have four points but Cavan have played an extra game. Leitrim beat Cavan by seven points last year.
Longford and Lancashire are both on two points – Longford won the corresponding tie last year by nine points.
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