Senior hurlers host Laois after securing quarter-final berth

Sunday’s programme is the most exciting so far in the Allianz Hurling League as the concluding round will decide several key issues in a campaign which has more than lived up to expectations.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1A: LIMERICK GUARANTEED QUARTER-FINAL SPOT

Sunday (2.0): Clare v Limerick, Ennis; Cork v Tipperary, Páirc Uí Rinn; Wexford v Kilkenny, Innovate Wexford Park

All-Ireland champions, Limerick (6 points) have already qualified for the quarter-finals, leaving the other five counties battling it out for the remaining three places in the final round. Wexford, Kilkenny, Cork and Clare are all on four points but Tipperary (2 points) could still make the quarter-finals if they beat Cork, depending on results elsewhere.

Tipperary beat Cork in last year’s League while the sides drew in the Munster championship. Limerick beat Clare in last year’s League quarter final, winning on frees after they were level following extra-time, but the Bannermen turned the tables in the Munster championship, winning by 13 points.

Kilkenny and Wexford met three times last year, with the Cats winning all three. They won the 1A contest by 0-22 to 0-19, the League semi-final by 1-27 to 2-15 and the Leinster ‘round robin’ by 0-22 to 1-18.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1B: THREE ALREADY BOOKED IN FOR QUARTER-FINALS

Sunday (2.0): Carlow v Offaly, Netwatch Cullen Park; Dublin v Laois, Parnell Park; Waterford v Galway, Walsh Park

Galway (7 points), Dublin and Waterford (6pts each) have already qualified for the quarter-finals and will be joined by either Laois (3pts) or Carlow (2pts).

This will be the first Waterford v Galway game since the 2017 All-Ireland final which the Tribesmen won. Dublin and Laois met in last year’s League, when the Dubs won by 3-23 to 0-17 in Portlaoise.

Played in O'Moore Park on Sunday, March 11 last year Dublin cruised to a 15-point victory over hosts Laois, Portlaoise to fend off any relegation play-off fears and book their berth in the quarter-finals.

“It’s great to play the games so close together. That’s been a positive. The players really enjoy that,” said Dublin then manager Pat Gilroy afterwards.

“For us, I’d always look at the league that you want to be finishing with your best performances rather than starting with your best performances, and taking it into the championship.

“For us, we’ve seen certainly an improvement from the Limerick game and that’s important.

“It’s been a very competitive league, a very tough group stage.

“We’re after getting to see loads of players; we’re after learning a huge amount about them. Today was a real championship game, so it was good to come out the right side of it.”

Dublin newcomer Ronan Hayes enjoyed a memorable after when scoring 2-4 from play with both his goals coming in the last ten minutes while Donal Burke also had a fruitful day with a tally of 0-11 (four from play).

By the half-time interval Dublin were coasting to victory when holding a 1-15 to 0-6 lead.

The Dubs hit the opening five points of the match and may have had a goal but Paul Winters early effort, following a long ball from Donal Burke, was wide of the target.

Dublin's first goal arrived in the 19th minute when Ryan O'Dwyer's angled his drive to the corner of the net.

Dublin led by 14 points at one stage of the second half before Laois rallied temporarily to cut the deficit to nine but Dublin finish the game on a high with Kilmacud Crokes man Hayes grabbing two goals.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Burke 0-11 (0-6f, 0-1 '65'), R Hayes 2-4, R O'Dwyer 1-1, F Mac Gib 0-2, C Keaney, D Sutcliffe, J McCaffrey, P Ryan, C McBride 0-1 each. Laois: PJ Scully 0-6 (0-4f), C Dwyer, R King (0-2f) 0-3 each, N Foyle 0-2, E Rowland (0-1f), B Conroy, P Purcell 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: A Nolan; P Smyth, B O'Carroll, E O'Donnell; S Barrett, C Crummey, J McCaffrey; C Costello, F Mac Gib; D Burke, C Keaney, D Sutcliffe; R Hayes, R O'Dwyer, P Winters. Subs: J Madden for Barrett (inj 24), C O'Sullivan for O'Dwyer (48), P Ryan for Winters (58), R McBride for Keaney (63), C McBride for Costello (67).

LAOIS: E Rowland; L Cleere,L Bergin, J Phelan; P Lawlor, M Whelan, E Killeen; P Purcell, J Ryan; B Conroy, C Dwyer, W Dunphy; R King, N Foyle, M Kavanagh. Subs: C Stapleton for Cleere (21), PJ Scully for Kavanagh (34), C Taylor for Killeen (34), E Lyons for Purcell (70), C Phelan for J Phelan (70).

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2A: WESTMEATH AND KERRY HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE FINAL

Sunday (1.0): Antrim v London, Corrigan Park; Kerry v Meath, Fitzgerald Stadium; Westmeath v Mayo, TEG Cusack Park.

Westmeath (8 points) and Kerry (6 points) have qualified for the final, with the winners gaining promotion to Division 1. Antrim are on four points but even if they beat London and Meath beat Kerry they will lose out to the Kingdom for a place on the final on the head to head rule. Kerry beat Antrim in the first round.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2B: THREE BIDDING FOR A PLACE IN THE FINAL

Sunday (1.0): Derry v Wicklow, Ballinascreen; Donegal v Warwickshire, Letterkenny; Kildare v Down, Newbridge

Derry (8 points), Down and Wicklow (6 points each) are in contention for the two final places. A draw would be enough for Derry to make the top two but if they lose to Wicklow and Down beat Kildare, it would be three-way tie at the top, in which case the placings would be decided on scoring difference.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3A: WHO WILL JOIN ROSCOMMON IN THE FINAL

Sunday (1.0): Lancashire v Roscommon, Abbotstown; Louth v Monaghan, Darver; Tyrone v Armagh, Omagh.

Roscommon (8 points) have qualified for the final and will be joined by Armagh (6 points), Tyrone (4pts) or Monaghan (4 points). A draw would be enough for Armagh to secure a place in the final.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3B: SLIGO AND LONGFORD IN THE FINAL

Sunday (1.0): Fermanagh v Cavan, Lisbellaw; Longford v Sligo, Longford Brothers, Pearse Park.

Sligo and Longford, both of whom have won their first three games, have qualified for the final ahead of their clash in the last round. The winners of Fermanagh v Cavan will finish third.

2019 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE: RESULTS & FIXTURES

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1ARound 1: Tipperary 2-16 Clare 1-11; Limerick 1-17 Limerick 2-11; Kilkenny 2-18 Cork 0-17.
Round 2: Clare 2-20 Kilkenny 1-22; Wexford 1-18 Cork 0-17; Limerick 1-21 Tipperary 1-14.
Round 3: Cork 1-20 Clare 0-20; Limerick 2-18 Kilkenny 0-15; Wexford 1-15 Tipperary 1-14.
Round 4: Clare 2-22 Wexford 1-22; Kilkenny 0-18 Tipperary 0-17; Cork 2-21 Limerick 1-21.
Round 5: Mar 3: Clare v Limerick; Cork v Tipperary; Wexford v Kilkenny.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1B

Round 1: Dublin 3-15 Carlow 0-18; Galway 1-27 Laois 2-15; Waterford 2-28 Offaly 0-7.

Round 2: Carlow 0-20 Galway 0-20; Waterford 4-22 Laois 1-15; Dublin 2-19 Offaly 0-12.

Round 3: Laois 3-17 Offaly 2-16; Waterford 3-15 Carlow 0-10; Galway 0-20 Dublin 1-11.
Round 4: Galway 2-20 Offaly 0-14; Carlow 0-17 Laois 0-17; Dublin 1-26 Waterford 4-15.
Round 5: Mar 3: Carlow v Offaly; Dublin v Laois; Waterford v Galway.

Quarter-finals: Mar 10: Top 1A v 4th 1B; 2nd 1A v 3rd 1B; 3rd 1A v 2nd 1B; 4th 1A v Top 1B.
Semi-finals: Mar 16.
Final: Mar 24

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2A

Round 1: Mayo 0-17 Meath 0-1 7; Westmeath 2-17 London 0-15; Kerry 1-21 Antrim 2-16.
Round 2: Westmeath 4-13 Kerry 2-17; Antrim 3-13 Meath 2-15; Mar 9: London v Mayo.
Round 3: Meath 3-16 London 0-10; Westmeath 1-17 Antrim 1-15; Kerry 3-18 Mayo 0-9.
Round 4: Kerry 3-27 London 1-11; Westmeath 1-20 Meath 0-20; Antrim 5-18 Mayo 0-13.
Round 5: Mar 4: Antrim v London; Kerry v Meath; Westmeath v Mayo.
Final: Mar 10

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2B

Round 1: Kildare 2-16 Donegal 1-13; Derry 1-16 Down 0-14; Wicklow 2-20 Warwickshire 0-11.
Round 2: Derry 3-18 Donegal 0-12; Down 1-23 Wicklow 0-15; Kildare 8-19 Warwickshire 0-6.
Round 3: Wicklow 2-13 Donegal 0-15; Derry 0-21 Kildare 1-16; Down 1-16 Warwickshire 0-11.
Round 4: Down 3-21 Donegal 1-15; Derry 2-18 Warwickshire 3-11; Wicklow 2-17 Kildare 1-17
Round 5: Mar 3: Derry v Wicklow; Donegal v Warwickshire; Kildare v Down.
Final: Mar 10

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3A

Round 1: Roscommon 3-18 Louth 1-11; Armagh 4-11 Monaghan 0-5; Tyrone 2-17 Lancashire 0-10.
Round 2: Armagh 2-14 Lancashire 0-12; Roscommon 1-21 Monaghan 0-14; Tyrone 2-23 Louth 1-11.
Round 3: Louth 2-12 Lancashire 1-13; Roscommon 0-18 Armagh 1-11; Monaghan 4-12 Tyrone 0-13.
Round 4: Armagh 2-17 Louth 2-6; Monaghan 3-17 Lancashire 0-16; Roscommon 1-26 Tyrone 1-11.
Round 5: Mar 3: Lancashire v Roscommon; Louth v Monaghan; Tyrone v Armagh.
Final: Mar 10

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3B

Round 1: Cavan 2-9 Leitrim 1-11; Sligo 2-14 Fermanagh 1-16.
Round 2: Sligo 2-14 Leitrim 0-19; Longford 1-16 Fermanagh 2-7
Round 3: Longford 2-18 Leitrim 0-16; Sligo 4-19 Cavan 2-6.
Round 4: Longford 3-10 Cavan 0-13; Fermanagh 2-15 Leitrim 1-12.
Round 5: Mar 3: Fermanagh v Cavan; Longford v Sligo.
Final: Mar 10