HURLING MATCHBOX
SATURDAY
LEINSTER SHC ROUND ONE
Antrim v Dublin (Corrigan Park, 2pm)
Odds H: 7/2 D: 10/1 A: 1/4
Verdict Dublin
Galway v Wexford (Pearse Stadium, 4.30pm, live on GAAGO)
WHEN these sides met in the opening round of the League, Galway edged through with seven-points to spare in Chadwicks Wexford Park, to not only pick up the first of three League wins, but to also lift the Walsh Cup. Wexford, on the other hand, lost four of their five League games, beginning with that defeat to Galway, and their only win of the season so far came in round two against Westmeath. That was enough to fend off relegation fears, but confidence will be low within the camp.
Henry Shefflin’s Galway will be eyeing up a Leinster title and head into the game as big favourites.
Odds H: 1/5 D: 11/1 A: 4/1
Verdict Galway
Kilkenny v Westmeath (UPMC Nowlan Park, 6pm)
FOR the first time since 2001, Kilkenny will take part in a Leinster Senior Championship game without their fearless leader Brian Cody on the sideline. The Cats legend stepped away from the inter-county scene last season and has been replaced by Derek Lyng, who in his first year in charge guided his native county to the League final. Limerick proved too strong on the day, however, and while that may have wounded morale, Kilkenny will be eager to defend their Leinster title. Westmeath will offer little resistance, especially in Nowlan Park, and the Cats should pick up their first points of the Championship campaign.
Odds H: 1/500 D: 50/1 A: 22/1
Verdict Kilkenny
JOE McDONAGH CUP ROUND THREE
Kildare v Kerry (Manguard Plus Kildare GAA CoE, Hawkfield, 1pm)
Odds H: 7/4 D: 9/1 A: 8/15
Verdict Kildare
Carlow v Laois (Netwatch Cullen Park, 3pm)
Odds H: 7/4 D: 9/1 A: 8/15
Verdict Laois
Offaly v Down (Glenisk O’Connor Park, 3pm)
DOWN have had an extremely difficult start to the Joe McDonagh Cup campaign, losing to Kerry in round one before suffering a huge 7-24 to 0-14 defeat to Laois in round two last weekend. Things can only get better for Ronan Sheehan’s men when they travel to Offaly today, but they’ll be up against it once again.
Offaly are currently top of the table after wins over Laois and Kildare. They also enjoyed a successful Division 2A League campaign as they won the title and gained promotion, but Down will take some heart from their League meeting. The Faithful county won when the sides met on the opening day of the season, but just three points separated the sides at full-time. If Down can run Offaly as close today as they did back then, they’ll be fairly happy.
Odds H: 1/33 D: 25/1 A: 11/1
Verdict Offaly
CHRISTY RING CUP ROUND TWO
Mayo v Tyrone (Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, 3pm)
HAVING made an impressive Christy Ring Cup debut in a thrilling draw with Derry, the challenge for Tyrone now is to develop consistency through the group stage writes Francis Mooney.
This trip to Castlebar represents a huge test for the newcomers as they adapt to a higher standard of hurling.
The Red Hands were not found wanting at Omagh last weekend, and they will travel west with confidence.
Mayo are looking to bounce back from a narrow opening defeat to Meath, and on home soil will be tough opponents.
When the sides met in the Nickey Rackard Cup final in 2021, the westerners won comfortably, but Tyrone feel they have closed the gap.
Dermot Begley, Conor Grogan, Chris Kearns and Lorcan Devlin are key figures as the Red Hands set about building on their 2-20 to 2-20 result against the Oak Leafers.
Mayo, who lost at Navan by 2-20 to 0-24, are hoping Shane Boland will be fit to start after picking up an injury last weekend.
Stacked with members of the Toureen side that reached the All-Ireland Club IFC final, the Connacht men will be looking for another big return from Cormac Phillips, who struck 0-13 against the Royals.
Tyrone manager Michael McShane is confident the progress will continue for his improving team.
“We’ll be a better team against Mayo and that’s the way hurling works,” he said.
“Mayo are a great team and we found that out in 2021. But we’re a much better team now and they went up to the Christy Ring and got to the final.
“All their better players are now back, and going to Castlebar to play them will be a tough game.”
Odds H: 1/2 D: 9/1 A: 15/8
Verdict Mayo
NICKEY RACKARD CUP ROUND TWO
Armagh v Donegal (the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 2pm)
ARMAGH got their Nickey Rackard Cup campaign up and running with an eye-catching victory over Division 3A champions Roscommon, who had defeated Karl McKeegan’s side in the League final.
Goals from Conor Renaghan and Eoin McGuinness were the main scores in Armagh’s 12-point win. They’ll expect a tougher test when they take on Donegal this weekend, although they’ll enjoy the comforts of home advantage.
Donegal also got off to a winning start last weekend when they overpowered Fermanagh to win by six points. Liam McKinney (1-5) and Declan Coulter (0-5) were the main men up front and carry a huge scoring threat.
Odds H: 6/5 D: 8/1 A: 4/5
Verdict Donegal
Fermanagh v Wicklow (Ederney, 3pm)
FERMANAGH will aim to bounce back from a six-point defeat to Donegal on the opening day when they host Wicklow in round two and will take massive confidence from last weekend’s outing.
Wicklow competed in Division 2B and reached the League semi-final, so they will be up for the task.
Odds H: 15/2 D: 20/1 A: 1/20
Verdict Wicklow
Louth v Roscommon (Darver, 3pm)
Odds H: 9/2 D: 12/1 A: 1/6
Verdict Roscommon
LORY MEAGHER CUP ROUND TWO
Leitrim v Lancashire (Avant Money Páirc Sean Mac Diarmada, 1pm)
Odds H: 4/7 D: 8/1 A: 13/8
Verdict Leitrim
Cavan v Monaghan (Kingspan Breffni, 4.15pm)
CAVAN had a tricky first round, losing to Warwickshire in Birmingham, but will have home advantage when they meet neighbours Monaghan. The Farney men head into the encounter following a 1-18 to 3-12 draw with Leitrim and having played in a higher grade throughout the League campaign, Monaghan will be confident of getting a result.
Odds H: 7/4 D: 9/1 A: 1/2 Verdict Monaghan
SUNDAY
MUNSTER SHC ROUND ONE
Waterford v Limerick (FBD Semple Stadium, 2pm, live on RTÉ2)
All-Ireland champions Limerick already have a piece of silverware in their trophy cabinet this season having recently dismissed Kilkenny with ease in the League final. Waterford, with Davy Fitzgerald back at the helm, had a disastrous League campaign last year under Liam Cahill, losing three games on the bounce to finish fourth in the table and exit the competition, so they’ll be keen to improve that record this time around. There isn’t a more difficult prospect in hurling than Limerick at the minute and John Kiely’s men show no signs of slowing down in their bid for trophies any time soon.
Odds H: 13/2 D: 14/1 A: 1/10
Verdict Limerick
Clare v Tipperary (Cusack Park, 4pm, live on GAAGO)
PERHAPS the hardest of all the provincial games to call this weekend, Clare will be hoping they can repeat the magic they produced in last year’s Munster series. After the four games, the Banner sat at the top of the table following their unbeaten run, but in the end, they were overturned by Limerick, after extra-time by three points. Tipperary head into the game off a league campaign that saw them lose just once, the semi-final to Limerick, so they’ll be confident that new manager Liam Cahill has them pointing in the right direction and that could lead to an opening round win.
Odds H: 10/11 D: 8/1 A: 11/10
Verdict Tipperary
CHRISTY RING CUP ROUND TWO
London v Meath (Ruislip, 1pm)
Odds H: 7/2 D: 10/1 A: 1/4
Verdict Meath
Derry v Sligo (Owenbeg, 3pm)
DERRY have home advantage when they face Sligo, following their 2-20 each draw with Tyrone on the opening day. Goals from John Mullan (1-7) and Cormac O’Doherty (1-3) were the main scores from Johnny McGarvey’s side as they picked up a share of the spoils on the road.
Derry suffered relegation from Division 2A in the League, while Sligo were also relegated to Division 3A.
The Yeatsmen opened their campaign with a three-point win over London last week, but Derry will offer a stiffer examination.
Odds H: 2/7 D: 10/1 A: 3/1
Verdict Derry
LORY MEAGHER CUP ROUND TWO
Longford v Warwickshire (Glennon Bros Pearse Park, 2pm)
Odds H: 8/15 D: 9/1 A: 13/8
Verdict Longford
