SATURDAY 11 May
Leinster SHC round 3
Carlow v Kilkenny, Netwatch Cullen Park, 4.30pm
Dublin v Antrim, Parnell Park, 4pm
Munster SHC round 3
Cork v Limerick, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 7pm
Christy Ring Cup round 4
Derry v London, O wenbeg, 1.30pm
Tyrone v Kildare, Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon, 2pm
Nickey Rackard Cup round 4
Monaghan v Louth, Inniskeen, 2pm
Mayo v Armagh, Hastings MacHale Park, 1pm
Roscommon v Donegal, Dr Hyde Park, 1pm
Lory Meagher Cup round 4
Fermanagh v Lancashire, Brewster Park, 1pm
Cavan v Longford, Kingspan Breffni, 1pm
Leitrim v Warwickshire, Drumshanbo, 3.30pm
SUNDAY
Christy Ring Cup round 4
Wicklow v Sligo, Aughrim, 2pm
ONLINE
Live blogs/live scores on RTÉ Sport Online and RTÉ News app.
TV
Carlow v Kilkenny and Cork v Limerick live on GAAGO.
Highlights and reaction to Saturday's action on The Saturday Game, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, 9.30pm. Highlights and reaction to all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, 9.30pm.
RADIO
Live commentaries and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae.
WEATHER
Saturday: Another mostly dry day. Plenty of warm sunshine once again, although it will turn cloudier in Atlantic coastal counties during the afternoon with the chance of patchy rain or showers developing there during the evening. Highest temperatures 17 to 21 degrees, warmest inland, in light to moderate southerly breezes.
Sunday: Sunday will bring a mix of cloud and sunny spells with showers or longer spells of rain, some heavy with the chance of isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees in light and variable breezes. For more, visit met.ie.
Do or die for Cork
Pat Ryan could be forgiven for thinking he's trapped in a recurring nightmare this week.
For the second season in a row, his Cork side have to beat the All-Ireland champions to keep their hopes of qualifying from Munster alive.
Close to a full house (45,000 fans) is expected at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to witness the latest charge of the Lee brigade.
Cork embraced the challenge last year, only losing by a point to Limerick in the TUS Gaelic Grounds. One more score and they would have been in the Munster final. Two more and Limerick would have been eliminated. But there are no medals for hypotheticals.
Luck was cursed and hopes were high that the Rebels would push on this spring, with another year under the belt of their U20 All-Ireland winners from 2020 and '21.
But they seemed to be surprised by the intensity of the challenge from Waterford in an opening-round defeat Walsh Park and let a seven-point lead slip to lose to Clare a fortnight ago.
Sean O'Donoghue's second yellow card for an unnecessary charge on Shane O'Donnell in the 52nd minute didn't help but the Banner already had the free to draw level and the concession of goals will be an even bigger concern for Ryan than discipline.
Cork have scored 4-49 but conceded 5-51 in two games and as Dónal Óg Cusack observed, if they defend like that again on Saturday night they'll have "no chance".
Limerick have outscored Cork 10-4 in goals in their last four meetings and would be happy for the game to turn into a shootout.
Mark Coleman has come in for the injured Ciarán Joyce, with Rob Downey moving to centre-back.
But Jackie Tyrrell told the RTÉ GAA Podcast (above) that the Rebels are paying the price for an unsettled defence: "The same five or six defenders for Limerick are always there. The good teams have consistency at 3 and 6 and three or four regulars in the other positions. Cork, it's just throw up the cards and whatever way they fall."
"Cork score enough to win games. There are just elements of the game where they fall asleep. Lack of concentration. Lack of defensive instincts. No cohesion. They don't defend as units, they defend as individuals or as individual lines."
Dónal Óg Cusack feels Cork need to find a fresh hunger in defence if they are to pull off a season-saving win against Limerick next weekend
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 5, 2024
📺 Watch The Sunday Game on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player#TheSundayGame #GAA pic.twitter.com/NUsLcYNQ0f
Patrick Horgan turned 36 last Sunday but has remained one of their key performers, playing all but ten minutes of both games and scoring 2-17 (1-01 from play) including a goal from a 20-metre free that caught Clare napping.
He might need to inspire Cork again if they are to avoid a defeat that would ensure ending the season with a lowest-ever round-robin points total, regardless of the result of their game against Tipperary Sunday week.
Getting more ball in to the dangerous Alan Connolly would also help.
After the slog to get out of Munster last year, five-in-a-row provincial champions Limerick are cruising with maximum points from two games.
The table doesn't tell the whole story: Limerick were nine-points down in Clare before pulling off a remarkable comeback and they were far from their fluent best for long periods before Tipperary crumbled to a 15-point defeat at the Gaelic Grounds.
But, Peter Casey's season-ending broken ankle aside, and his brother Mike's hamstring strain, John Kiely's history hunters are in a great position.
The Treaty can book their place in the Munster final with a game to spare with victory at the Páirc, which would allow for some rotation against Waterford, and know they still have plenty room to improve.
A scary thought for the opposition, who so far have been unable to last the pace physically, Clare and Tipp both fading badly in the closing 20 minutes.
Competition lights up Leinster
Munster has long been the Ben Affleck to Leinster's Casey in terms of box-office brothers, but this season is shaping up as the most exciting instalment of the (mostly) eastern province since 2019, when four of the five teams finished on four points and Wexford ended a 15-year wait for the Bob O'Keeffe Cup.
The Yellowbellies seem to be on a mission to make Leinster great craic again this year.
In their rollercoaster provincial campaign so far, they have: blown a lead to draw with Dublin; been deservedly shocked by Antrim; and improved hugely to surprise Galway, who were widely expected to ease to a third final in a row against Kilkenny.
The former two are in action on Saturday at Parnell Park.
Antrim have had two weeks to come back down to earth after that brilliant win over Wexford.
Seaan Elliott (1-03) and Keelan Molloy (0-02) had a big impact in what were their second and first games of the year respectively, while wing-back Gerard Walsh scored four points, include a superb sideline cut at the finish.
Ambitions of a first All-Ireland quarter-final appearance since 2010 are not far-fetched but they will need to record a first win against the Dubs in the capital since that year - or at least avoid defeat - to remain in contention.
Last year's draw between the sides was at Corrigan Park, where Antrim are traditionally much stronger, and where they beat Wexford in round two. Dublin were fortunate one-point winners in the league clash there in February. Though the Saffrons also triumphed in Westmeath on the last day in 2023, sending the hosts down.
Expectations were low for the Dubs after relegation in the league and their goose looked cooked before that fighting spirit against Wexford and subsequent events conspired to make qualification, and even a final place, a live possibility once again.
They didn't dominate Carlow in round two, trailing by four points at half-time and needed a 59th-minute goal - when Fergal Whitely's shot from distance dipped under the crossbar to ensure a five-point win.
"Antrim do reasonably well in Parnell Park," said Tyrrell, who expects the battle between Dublin forward Danny Sutcliffe and Antrim corner-back Paddy Burke to be key.
"I often feel Parnell Park doesn't bode well for that Dublin team, as much as it's made out as a bit of a fortress. For the underdog it normally works out a bit better. If they could get a result it puts them in a great place.
"If Dublin win they have five points and it could be a Leinster final. For Micheál [Donoghue] that would be huge."
Tom Mullally's Carlow also tested Galway into well into the second half but it's a big task against Kilkenny, the advantage of playing in Netwatch Cullen Park aside.
The Cats should have the option to give some of their supporting cast a run out, with Eoin Cody not expected back for another month while Adrian Mullen, Eoin Murphy and Mikey Carey might be given another week to recover from the injuries sustained against Antrim three weeks ago.
The final-day fixtures in Leinster are Kilkenny v Wexford and Galway v Wexford with another four-way split or a (more likely) three-way tie for second still definite possibilities.
It's a rest week in the Joe McDonagh Cup, where Laois lead the way.
But both London and Kildare have 100% records heading into round four of the Christy Ring Cup and could seal their places in the final this weekend.
The Exiles travel to Owenbeg to face third-placed Derry and victory would guarantee their place in the top two. But the hosts could also replace them in second. If London won, Kildare would also be final-bound if they take the points at Tyrone.
On Sunday, Wicklow host fellow pointless side Sligo, in a game that will go a long way to settling the race to avoid relegation.
Donegal and Roscommon are the two teams with maximum points in the Nickey Rackard Cup and they will meet at Dr Hyde Park.
Mayo could join the losers of that one on six points if they beat Armagh while in Darver either Louth and Monaghan will get their first points after three defeats.
Fermanagh and Cavan (5 points) are both unbeaten in the Lory Meagher Cup and could potentially seal final places if the Breffni men win at home to Longford, who are third (4 points).
Fermanagh host Lancashire, who were narrowly beaten by Monaghan in last year's final but are bottom of the table, having lost their three games to date this campaign.
Leitrim and Warwickshire (both 2 points) meet in Drumshanbo hoping to keep their slim hopes of making the final alive.
