SATURDAY 15 March
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Kilkenny v Limerick, UPMC Nowlan Park, 3.30pm
Division 1B
Laois v Carlow, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 1.45pm
Division 2
Meath v Down, Trim 1.30pm
Division 3
Cavan v Armagh, Kingspan Breffni, Cavan 12pm
ONLINE
Live blog on Kilkenny v Limerick and live scores on other games on RTÉ Sport Online and RTÉ News app.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
TV
Kilkenny v Limerick is live on TG4.
Highlights and reaction on Allianz League Sunday, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm.
WEATHER
Saturday: Mainly dry with just isolated showers and spells of sunshine, though patchy cloud will build in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in a light northeast or variable breeze.
For more, visit met.ie.
It's a short and sweet Saturday of Allianz Hurling League action this week - just four games (from four divisions) that were rained off on 23 February.
The headline clash is that of Kilkenny of Limerick, the All-Ireland finalists of 2022 and 2023, meeting for the first time since the Cats recorded an eye-catching eight-point win in last year's league semi.
This year's campaign hasn't gone as smoothly for Derek Lyng's men, and after three defeats they're technically not safe from relegation yet, though Clare and Wexford would both have to win their last game and one of them make up a big points deficit to catch Kilkenny, who would edge either on the head-to-head.
Lyng has had to plan without David Blanchfield and Mikey Carey, both suspended after last week's festival of red cards in defeat to Tipperary, but Jordan Molloy can play as his was a second yellow.
The manager has made six changes overall, with full-back Huw Lawlor returning from injury, and Luke Hogan coming in at corner-forward alongside four players introduced as substitutes last weekend: John Donnelly, Fionan Mackessy, Shane Murphy and Richie Reid.
Padraic Moylan, Peter McDonald, Billy Drennan and Gearoid Dunne drop to the bench.
Usually strong showers in the league, ending their campaign with a fourth defeat would be Kilkenny's worst performance in the competition in 27 years.
Key men Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody are still out, and speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast this week, Shane McGrath suggested they are still too reliant on veteran forward TJ Reid without them.
"He’s still class, but if they are still looking to a 37-year-old to do the business for them, albeit he is the best ever in my opinion, there are questions they are going to have to answer," said McGrath.
"Others need to step up, and if they don't do it soon, you don’t know what way their year will go.
"I just feel this year they don’t have the strength in depth they have had in previous years."
John Kiely's side have had slightly better fortunes as younger players like Barry Murphy, Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Aidan O'Connor and Shane O'Neill have made the most of their opportunities in the absence of more established names.
They still have an outside chance of making the league final, if they can win this and beat Wexford next weekend as well.
Comeback kid Shane Dowling retains the goalkeeping jersey, and another good display might be enough to edge him in front of Jason Gillane for the championship opener in Thurles next month.
Three of last year's All-Ireland semi-final starters come in and three depart, David Reidy, Gearoid Hegarty and Seamus Flanagan coming in for Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey and Aaron Gillane. Peter Casey is again on the bench having played his first minutes in 11 months in the comfortable win over Galway last weekend.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Shane Murphy, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Cian Kenny, Jordan Molloy; John Donnelly (captain), Billy Ryan, Fionan Mackessy; Luke Hogan, TJ Reid, Martin Keoghan.
Limerick: Shane Dowling; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Barry Murphy; Colin Coughlan, William O'Donoghue, Barry Nash; Adam English, Cian Lynch (captain); Gearoid Hegarty, David Reidy, Cathal O’Neill; Shane O’Brien, Seamus Flanagan, Aidan O’Connor.
In Division 1B, Carlow travel to Laois Hire O'Moore Park for a defining encounter.
The Barrow men could still pip Waterford for the second place in the final - if they beat the hosts and pointless Westmeath on the last day, and the Déise lose at home to already-promoted Offaly at the same time.
If Laois don't win today, they will be relegated along with the Lake men, and even if they do they would then need a result against Dublin or for Westmeath to record an unlikely victory in Carlow.
Down have already qualified for the Division 2 final with a round to spare, so Meath will hope to capitalise on that and take the battle for second with Kildare to the final day, when those two meet in Trim.
In Division 3, hosts Cavan (4 pts) will be safe if they avoid defeat. Armagh (2pts) have their last game against division leaders London, who are 5/5, but would catch Cavan on the head to head if they win this and Roscommon don't lose to already relegated Sligo next week.
