The final day of the provincial hurling championships promises to provide even more drama with big names such as Limerick and Wexford in danger of seeing their seasons come to a very disappointing end while a number of teams are hoping to book final spots.
Leinster SHC
Sunday
Westmeath v Antrim, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm
Dublin v Galway, Croke Park, 2pm
Wexford v Kilkenny, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm
We are being treated to possibly one of the greatest Munster championships of all time, but when it comes to permutations, Leinster is right up there when it comes to drama.
That's due to there being uncertainty at both ends of the table with a big name, Wexford, at risk of dropping into the Joe McDonagh Cup.
More on that later because issues at the top are not without a bit of complication either.
The simplest outcome would be for Galway to win or draw in Dublin and Kilkenny to leave Chadwicks Wexford Park with at least a point. That would secure a Galway-Kilkenny Leinster final and would mean Dublin advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against one of the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists, Carlow or Offaly.
If Dublin and Kilkenny were to win their games, they’d meet in the final with Galway instead off to that preliminary quarter-final.
Calculators will be required if Dublin beat Galway and Wexford beat Kilkenny. That would leave Kilkenny, Dublin and Galway all level on top at seven points.
Scoring difference would then be required, but it would only be used from the games directly involving the three counties. Kilkenny are on +6 having played both, Galway are on 0 and Dublin -6 ahead of the meeting of the latter two.
In that scenario of a Yellowbelly victory, Dublin need to beat Galway by four points to reach the Leinster final.
The situation is equally as interesting at the bottom of the table as Wexford, Antrim and Westmeath are all hoping to avoid relegation.
Wexford’s shock loss to Westmeath means that they are in real bother. A draw at home to Kilkenny would be enough to save them though.
If Darragh Egan’s side were to lose to the Cats, they’d require Westmeath to at least draw at home to Antrim. If that game does finish level, Wexford will finish above the Ulster side on the head-to-head rule after their 1-30 to 1-26 win in round three.
The nightmare situation for Wexford is a loss to Kilkenny and to see Antrim overcome Westmeath. That would ensure tier two hurling in 2024.
Munster SHC
Sunday
Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium, 4pm
Limerick v Cork, Gaelic Grounds, 4pm
Two things are certain in Munster ahead of the final round of fixtures – Clare will play in the provincial final and Waterford’s championship season will draw to a close against Tipperary this weekend at Semple Stadium.
One of three teams, Tipp, Cork or All-Ireland champions Limerick, will also play their final game of the season on Sunday.
If that were to be Limerick, it would send shockwaves through the hurling world, and Cork will be hoping they can cause that jolt with the two counties meeting at the Gaelic Grounds. The loser misses out on the All-Ireland stage.
Tipperary need a win against pointless Waterford to guarantee a final meeting with the Banner. A draw may also be enough, but it would need scoring difference to go their way as they drew with fellow finalist contenders Cork and Limerick.
A draw and a Cork win would see them miss out as the Rebels have a better scoring difference, but a draw and a Limerick win by four points or less would see them through.
There is also the possibility that three teams finish on four points in that race for second place.
That would need Tipperary to lose to Waterford and for Limerick to draw with Cork. If that scenario played out, Cork would advance to the final due to their superior scoring difference while Tipperary’s season would end if they lost to Davy Fitzgerald’s side by more than four points.
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Watch a hurling double-header, Dublin v Galway and Limerick v Cork, from 1.30pm on Sunday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport or listen to live radio updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
