Senior hurlers hoping to bounce back against Clare

Kilkenny and Clare, All-Ireland champions for the past two years, find themselves in the relegation zone heading into Round 4 of the Hurling League Division 1A campaign next weekend.

Kilkenny also won the last two League titles but have won only one of their three games so far this year while Clare have no points to date.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1A: TIPPERARY v KILKENNY THE BIG ATTRACTION

Saturday: Clare v Dublin, Cusack Park, 3.0; Sunday: Tipperary v Kilkenny, Thurles, 2.0; Galway v Cork, Pearse Stadium, 2.30

Clare are the only team in the group without a point so they must beat Dublin in Ennis on Saturday to have any chance of avoiding a relegation play-off. Clare’s last competitive win was against Laois in their Allianz League quarter-final last March. Since then, they have been beaten by Tipperary (twice in the Allianz League), Cork and Wexford in the championship, Galway and Cork in the Allianz League. They also drew with Wexford in the championship.

Dublin have won two of three games but lost to Cork by 0-34 to 1-20 last Saturday.

The clash of Tipperary and Kilkenny in Semple Stadium is the biggest draw of what promises to be a fascinating weekend in Round 4. Tipperary have won two from three, with Kilkenny on one win from three games.

Their rivalry in the Allianz League and Championship has been intense in recent years, not least last season where they met four times. Kilkenny won the two Allianz League clashes by 5-20 to 5-14 (group game) and by 2-25 to 1-27 (final – after extra time) and also triumphed in the All-Ireland final replay by 2-17 to 2-14. The drawn game ended on: Tipperary 1-28 Kilkenny 3-22.

Kilkenny also beat Tipperary in the 2013 All-Ireland qualifier and Allianz League final, leaving the Premier county seeking their first success over their great rivals since winning a 1A group game by a point in February 2013.

The winners of Galway v Cork will be assured of a place in the knock-out stages as both are on four points. This will be their first meeting since the 2013 Allianz League (Cork were in 1B last year) when they played out a draw.

HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1B: WATERFORD, LIMERICK LEAD THE WAY

Saturday: Limerick v Offaly, Gaelic Grounds, 7.0; Sunday: Waterford v Antrim, Walsh Park, 12.45; Laois v Wexford, Portlaoise, 2.0

Waterford and Limerick (each with five from six points) are leading the way in the drive for promotion, with Wexford tucked in just behind them on four points. Limerick will get a chance to move to the top of the table when they host Offaly in the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night while Waterford host Antrim, who have yet to take a point, on Sunday. Limerick and Offaly drew in last year’s Allianz League.

Laois host Wexford, who beat Seamus Plunkett’s men by 2-21 to 1-18 in last year’s Allianz League.

HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2A: CARLOW, DERRY IN BIG PROMOTION DRIVE

Sunday: Carlow v Kerry, Netwatch Cullen Park, 12.0; Westmeath v Wicklow, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 12.45

Three wins from three outings has left Carlow top of the table, followed by Derry on five points and Westmeath on four points. However, Derry have played one game more than the others. Carlow will be at home to Kerry, who have three points. Kerry beat Carlow twice in last year’s Allianz League, by 3-13 to 0-17 in the group game and by 3-16 to 3-13 in the 2A final. Wicklow have lost all three games so far.

HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2B: KILDARE TOP TABLE

Saturday: Kildare v Mayo, Newbridge, 2.45; Sunday: Down v Donegal, Ballycran, 2.0; Meath v Armagh, Trim 2.0;

Kildare have won all three games so far and will have home advantage against Mayo (2 points) as they bid to maintain their lead at the top of the table. Down and Meath, who are also on four points will have home advantage too as they maintain a push to finish in the top two.

HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3A: ULSTER PAIR OUT IN FRONT

Sunday: Tyrone v Louth, Omagh, 12.45; Monaghan v Fingal, Inniskeen, 1.0; Roscommon v Fermanagh, Athleague, 2.0

Tyrone and Monaghan, both of whom have taken five from a possible six points, will be at home on Sunday as they attempt to edge closer to clinching a place in the final. However, Roscommon (4 points) are still very much in the hunt and will be hoping to press on with a win over Fermanagh, who have still to take a point.

HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3B: FIRST ROUND WINNERS CLASH

Saturday: Longford v Warwickshire, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2.0; Sligo v Leitrim, Markievicz Park, 12.45.

Warwickshire and Longford both won last weekend, beating Sligo and Leitrim respectively.

HURLING LEAGUE 2015 RESULTS & FIXURES

DIVISION 1A

Round 1: Kilkenny 1-22 Cork 2-17; Dublin 2-20 Tipperary 0-14; Galway 2-15 Clare 1-17

Round 2: Cork 1-24 Clare 0-17; Dublin 0-25 Kilkenny 3-11; Tipperary 2-18 Galway 0-20.

Round 3: Cork 0-34 Dublin 1-20; Tipperary 2-19 Clare 0-20; Galway 0-20 Kilkenny 0-18.

Round 4: March 14: Clare v Dublin; Tipperary v Kilkenny; Galway v Cork.

Round 5: March 22: Cork v Tipperary; Dublin v Galway; Kilkenny v Clare

DIVISION 1B

Round 1: Limerick 2-16 Waterford 0-22; Wexford 1-24 Antrim 2-20; Offaly 1-24 Laois 0-23.

Round 2: Waterford 3-21 Laois 0-12; Wexford 2-15 Offaly 0-12; Limerick 0-23 Antrim 1-12

Round 3: Limerick 4-16 Wexford 3-18; Laois 1-18 Antrim 1-15; Waterford 2-18 Offaly 1-14.

Round 4: March 14: Limerick v Offaly; March 15: Waterford v Antrim; Laois v Wexford.

Round 5: March 22: Antrim v Offaly; Limerick v Laois; Wexford v Waterford.

PLAY-OFFS

March 29: Quarter-finals: 1^st 1A v 4^th 1B; 2^nd 1A v 3^rd 1B; 3^rd 1A v 2^nd 1B; 4^th 1A v 1^st 1B.

Relegation: 1A: 5^th v 6^th; 1B; 5^th v 6^th.

DIVISION 2A

Round 1: Kerry 0-14 Derry 0-14; Westmeath 2-20 London 1-8; Carlow 3-17 Wicklow 1-6.

Round 2: Kerry 2-20 Wicklow 1-6; Derry 2-15 Westmeath 3-10; Carlow 3-12 London 0-7

Round 3: Carlow 1-15 Derry 1-13; London 3-12 Wicklow 2-12; Westmeath 3-18 Kerry 0-12

Round 4: Derry 1-10 London 1-9; March 15: Westmeath v Wicklow; Kerry v Carlow.

Round 5: March 22: Kerry v London; Derry v Wicklow; Westmeath v Carlow.

Final: April 4: 1^st v 2nd

DIVISION 2B

Round 1: Kildare 0-24 Meath 0-14; Down 1-13 Armagh 0-9; Mayo 3-14 Donegal 1-12.

Round 2: Kildare 2-15 Down 1-12; Meath 3-8 Mayo 0-9; Armagh 1-18 Donegal 2-10

Round 3: Kildare 3-23 Armagh 3-14; Meath 2-15 Donegal 1-4; Down 2-20 Mayo 0-15.

Round 4: March 15: Kildare v Mayo; Down v Donegal; Meath v Armagh.

Round 5: March 22: Donegal v Kildare; Mayo v Armagh; Meath v Down.

Final: April 4: 1^st v 2^nd

DIVISION 3A

Round 1: Fingal 3-13 Fermanagh 1-16; Roscommon 1-21 Louth 1-9; Tyrone 1-13 Monaghan 2-10

Round 2: Louth 4-17 Fermanagh 3-7; Monaghan 0-17 Roscommon 1-10; Tyrone 1-16 Fingal 1-15

Round 3: Tyrone 4-13 Fermanagh 2-8; Roscommon 3-24 Fingal 1-11; Monaghan 2-18 Louth 2-13.

Round 4: March 15: Tyrone v Louth; Monaghan v Fingal; Roscommon v Fermanagh.

Round 5: March 22: Fermanagh v Monaghan; Fingal v Louth; Tyrone v Roscommon.

Final: April 4: 1^st v 2^nd

DIVISION 3B

Round 1: Longford 1-17 Leitrim 0-10; Warwickshire 5-14 Sligo 0-14

Round 2: March 14: Longford v Warwickshire; March 15: Sligo v Leitrim.

Round 3: March 22: Longford v Sligo; Warwickshire v Leitrim.

Final: April 4: 1^st v 2nd