Cunningham to face his native Rebels in Croker double-header

Having won only one (v Laois in the 2014 quarter-final) of their last five Allianz League games and none of their last three championship games, Clare find themselves under real pressure as this season’s Allianz Hurling League heads for Round 3.

They are the only team in 1A without a point, adding to the interest around their meeting with Tipperary on Sunday.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 1A: DUBLIN SEEK TO MAINTAIN 100 PER CENT RECORD

Saturday: Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 5.0; Sunday (2.0): Galway v Kilkenny, Pearse Stadium; Clare v Tipperary Cusack Park.

Croke Park hosts its first Allianz League double-header of the season on Saturday when Dublin hurlers take on Cork at 5pm, followed by Dublin footballers tie with Tyrone in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League at 7pm. There’s added interest in the hurling game, arising from Dublin’s impressive start, plus the fact that they are managed by former Cork All-Ireland medal winner, Ger Cunningham.

Dublin have already beaten last year’s All-Ireland winners, Kilkenny and runners-up, Tipperary by a total of 17 points and are now hoping to add last year’s Munster champions to their victims’ list. Cork won their last clash with Dublin, having five points to spare (1-24 to 1-19) in the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final.

Kilkenny v Galway has been one of the busier rivalries in recent years and it continues in Pearse Stadium next Sunday. Galway are seeking their first win over Kilkenny since the first round of the 2013 Allianz League. Since then, the counties have clashed on five occasions (2013 and 2014 Allianz League semi-finals, 2014 1A, 2014 Leinster semi-final (twice), with Kilkenny winning four and drawing one.

The clash between Clare and Tipperary in Ennis is expected to draw one of the biggest crowds of the day. Clare have lost their opening two games, while Tipperary won one and lost one. They met twice in last year’s Allianz League, with Clare winning the 1A group game by 4-15 to 0-20, while Tipperary won the semi-final by 2-24 to 2-17. It left the counties level on aggregate (Clare 6-32 Tipperary 2-44) over the two games.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 1B: WEXFORD DEFENDING 100 PER CENT RECORD

Saturday: Offaly v Waterford, O’Connor Park, 3.0; Sunday: Wexford v Limerick, Wexford Park, 12.45; Antrim v Laois, Ballycastle, 2.30

The Wexford v Limerick clash was always regarded as likely to be crucial in the promotion race, so a large crowd is expected at Wexford Park on Sunday for what promises to be a fascinating encounter. Limerick won two and drew one of their last three Allianz League clashes with Wexford in 2012-13-14 and also beat the Model men in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, running out easy winners (4-26 to 1-11).

Wexford are currently on four points, one ahead of Limerick and Waterford, who travel to Tullamore on Saturday to take on Offaly, who have won one of two. The most recent meeting between the counties was in the 2013 All-Ireland qualifiers qualifiers when Waterford won by 0-21 to 1-14.

Antrim and Laois have both lost their opening two games, which make their clash in Ballycastle vital in a relegation context as the losers will be edging ever closer to a play-off. The counties met twice in last year’s Allianz League with Offaly winning the 1A tie by 5-27 to 4-9 while the Ulstermen won a relegation play-off by 1-18 to 1-14.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 2A: TOP TWO CLASH IN CELTIC PARK

Sunday: Derry v Carlow, Celtic Park, 12.45; Wicklow v London, Aughrim, 1.0; Kerry v Westmeath, Austin Stack Park, 1.0.

Having played a game more than most of their rivals, Derry top the table on five points from three outings, with Carlow tucked in behind them on four points. It makes their meeting in Celtic Park all the more interesting. Carlow beat Derry by 2-20 to 0-12 in last year’s Allianz League. Kerry (3 points) and Westmeath (2 points) are tucked in behind the leaders as they prepare for their meeting in Tralee. Kerry won the corresponding clash by a point last year. Wicklow and London will be looking for their first points when they meet in Aughrim.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 2B: KILDARE SET EARLY PACE

Saturday: Donegal v Meath, Letterkenny, 2.0; Armagh v Kildare, Athletic Grounds, 4.45.Sunday: Mayo v Down, Elverys MacHale Park, 2.0

Kildare are the only team in the group to win their first two games, a sequence they will hope to extend when they take on Armagh (one win from two) in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday. Down, Mayo and Meath are also on two points, with Donegal the only team in the group without a win.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 3A: MONAGHAN AND TYRONE SHOW THE WAY

Sunday (2.0): Fingal v Roscommon, Swords; Louth v Monaghan, Darver; Fermanagh v Tyrone, Brewster Park.

Monaghan and Tyrone are both on three points, one ahead of Roscommon, Fingal and Louth, leaving Fermanagh as the only team in the group without a win so far.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE - DIVISION 3B: FIRST DAY OUT

Saturday: Warwickshire v Sligo, Pairc na hEireann, 2.0; Sunday: Leitrim v Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon, 2.0

With only three rounds in this group, the start was delayed until next weekend. Leitrim reached the final last year, losing to Tyrone.

ALLIANZ 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: March 7: Dublin v Cork; March 8: Clare v Tipperary; Galway v Kilkenny.

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: March 8: Wexford v Limerick; Antrim v Laois; Offaly v Waterford.

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: March 8: Derry v Carlow; Wicklow v London; Kerry v Westmeath.

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: March 7: Armagh v Kildare; March 8: Donegal v Meath; Mayo v Down.

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: March 8: Fermanagh v Tyrone; Fingal v Roscommon; Louth v Monaghan.

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: March 8: Leitrim v Longford; Warwickshire v Sligo.

Round 2: March 1: 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