Senior hurlers aim to bounce back against Wexford

History will be made in the Munster SHC this Sunday when the first ‘Round Robin’ games will be played.

Leinster are operating a similar system to decide the finalists but a ‘Round Robin’ did apply in their earlier rounds over recent years.

It’s brand new in Munster where the first action in the ten-game series will feature Limerick hosting Tipperary in the Gaelic Grounds (2.0)0pm, followed by Cork v Clare in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (4.00pm) on Sunday.

In Leinster, it’s Kilkenny v Offaly in Nowlan Park (3.00pm) and Wexford v Dublin in Innovate Wexford Park (3.00pm) on Sunday.

WEXFORD v DUBLIN

They meet in the Leinster championship for the fifth time in six seasons, Dublin won in 2016, 2014 and 2013 (replay). Dublin also won in 2009, leaving Wexford looking for their first win since 2008.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2016: Dublin 2-19 Wexford 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2014: Dublin 0-22 Wexford 1-14 (Leinster semi-final)

2013: Dublin 1-17 Wexford 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final) Replay

2013: Dublin 1-17 Wexford 1-17 (Leinster quarter-final) Draw

2009: Dublin 0-18 Wexford 1-13 (Leinster semi-final)

Dublin lost their opening ‘Round Robin’ game against Kilkenny last Sunday while Wexford will be having their first outing in the series on Sunday.

Davy Fitzgerald is in his second season as Wexford manager while Pat Gilroy is in his first year as Dublin boss.

Wexford won three of five Allianz League games in 1A, beat Galway in the quarter-final and lost to Kilkenny in the semi-final.

KILKENNY v OFFALY

They meet in the championship for the first time since 2014 when Kilkenny won a Leinster quarter-final tie by 26 points.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2014: Kilkenny 5-32 Offaly 1-18 (Leinster quarter-final)

2013: Kilkenny 0-26 Offaly 4-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

2008: Kilkenny 2-24 Offaly 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

2007: Kilkenny 1-27 Offaly 1-13 (Leinster semi-final)

2005: Kilkenny 6-28 Offaly 0-15 (Leinster semi-final

Kilkenny and Offaly had contrasting fortunes in their opening ‘Round Robin’ games last weekend. Kilkenny beat Dublin by two points while Offaly lost to Galway by 12 points.

Offaly are seeking their first championship win over Kilkenny since the 1998 All-Ireland final.

The counties met in the Allianz League quarter-final in March when Kilkenny won by 0-24 to 1-19 in Tulla-more.

Kevin Martin, who was at left half-back on the last Offaly team to beat Kilkenny in the championship in 1998, is in his first season as manager while Brian Cody is in his 20th season as Kilkenny boss.

TIPPERARY v LIMERICK

They have met 68 times in the championship (66 in Munster, one in the All-Ireland semi-final (2009) and one in the All-Ireland qualifiers (2004) with the results standing as follows: Tipperary 35 wins; Limerick 23 wins; Draws 10.

They last met in 2016 when Tipperary won by two points on a day when Seamus Callanan (1-6) and Shane Dowling (0-9) were top scorers.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

2016: Tipperary 3-12 Limerick 1-16 (Munster semi-final)

2015: Tipperary 4-23 Limerick 1-16 (Munster semi-final)

2014: Limerick 2-18 Tipperary 2-16 (Munster semi-final)

2013: Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15 (Munster semi-final)

2012: Tipperary 2-20 Limerick 1-19 (Munster quarter-final)

This will be the 16th championship clash between the counties in the new Millennium with Tipperary having won nine times (2016-2015-2012-2009-2006-2005-2004-2002-2001), Limerick three times (2014-2013-2007)

while there were three draws (twice in 2007 and one in 2005) in the previous 15 games.

The counties met in the Allianz League semi-final in Semple Stadium on March 31st, with Tipperary win-ning by 2-31 to 1-31 after extra-time. Jason Forde on 2-11 (0-8 frees) and Aaron Gillane on 0-7 (0-4 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’) were top scorers.

Earlier, Tipperary topped 1A with three wins from five games before they beat Dublin in the quarter-final. Limerick won all five games in 1B and beat Clare in the quarter-final.

Michael Ryan is in his third season as Tipperary manager while John Kiely is in his second season with Lim-erick.

CORK v CLARE

They meet in the Munster championship for the second time in ten months, with Cork having won the Munster final by five points in Semple Stadium last July.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2017: Cork 1-25 Clare 1-20 (Munster final)

2015: Cork 0-20 Clare 0-17 (All-Ireland qualifier)

2014: Cork 2-23 Clare 2-18 (Munster semi-final)

2013: Clare 5-16 Cork 3-16 (All-Ireland final) Replay

2013: Clare 0-25 Cork 3-16 (All-Ireland final) Draw

This will be the 55th championship meeting between the counties, with Cork leading 37-12 in wins while there have been five draws in the previous 54.

Clare and Cork have met 11 times in the championship in the new Millennium. Cork have won nine to Clare’s one (2013 All-Ireland final replay) with one draw (2013 All-Ireland final)

Clare beat Cork by 0-23 to 0-19 in the third round of this year’s Allianz hurling League in Cusack Park in February. Clare led by eleven points at half-time before Cork battled back to cut the margin to four near the end.

Clare won three of five games in 1A before losing the quarter-final to Limerick on a free-taking shoot out after the sides finished level following two periods of extra-time.

Cork won one of five League games this year but survived in 1A after beating Waterford in a relegation play-off.

John Meyler is in his first season as Cork manager while the Donal Moloney/Gerry O’Connor combination are in their second year with Clare.

JOE McDONAGH CUP

Antrim and Westmeath are the early pace-setters in the race to reach the final and book places in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. Both have won their opening two games, leaving them two points ahead of Carlow and Kerry (one win and one defeat each) and four ahead of Laois and Meath, who have both lost their opening two games.

Antrim host Laois in Round 3 on Sunday in what will be the third meeting between the counties this year. Laois won both games, running out 0-27 to 2-16 winners in Round 3 of the 1B series and by 1-16 to 0-17 in a relegation play-off.

Kerry, who beat Laois last Sunday, host Westmeath on Sunday, having lost to Michael Ryan’s men by seven points in Round 5 of the 2A Allianz League series.

Carlow, who lost to Antrim last weekend, host Meath on Saturday. Carlow beat Meath by four points in this year’s 2A League programme.

2018 GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEINSTER

Round Robin 1

May 12: Galway 5-18 Offaly 2-15, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park.

May13: Kilkenny 1-24 Dublin 3-16, Parnell Park.

Round Robin 2

May 20: Kilkenny v Offaly, Nowlan Park; Wexford v Dublin, Innovate Wexford Park.

Round Robin 3

May 26/27: Offaly v Wexford, Bord na Mona O’Connor Park.

May 27: Galway v Kilkenny, Pearse Stadium

Round Robin 4

June 2: Wexford v Galway, Innovate Wexford Park

June 3: Dublin v Offaly, Parnell Park.

Round Robin 5

June 9: Kilkenny v Wexford, Nowlan Park; Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium

July 1: Final, Croke Park.

MUNSTER

Round Robin 1

May 20: Limerick v Tipperary, Gaelic Grounds; Cork v Clare, Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Round Robin 2

May 27: Tipperary v Cork, Semple Stadium; Clare v Waterford, Cusack Park.

Round Robin 3

June 2: Cork v Limerick, Páirc Uí Chaoimh

June 3: Waterford v Tipperary. Gaelic Grounds

Round Robin 4

June 10: Limerick v Waterford, Gaelic Grounds; Tipperary v Clare, Semple Stadium

Round Robin 5

June 17: Waterford v Cork, Semple Stadium; Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park

July 1: Final

All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals

July 7/8: 3rd placed Munster v Joe McDonagh Cup winners; 3rd placed Leinster v Joe McDonagh Cup run-ners-up

All-Ireland quarter-finals

July 15: Munster runners-up v Preliminary quarter-final winner; Leinster runners-up v Preliminary quarter-final winner.

July 28: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park

July 29: All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park

August 19: All-Ireland final, Croke Park.

JOE McDONAGH CUP

Round 1: Antrim 5-25 Meath 2-18; Carlow 0-21 Kerry 0-18; Westmeath 2-21 Laois 1-21.

Round 2: Kerry 3-20 Laois 0-19; Antrim 2-16 Carlow 0-19; Westmeath 4-24 Meath 2-17.

Round 3

May 19/20: Kerry v Westmeath; Antrim v Laois; Carlow v Meath

Round 4

June 3

Meath v Kerry; Laois v Carlow; Westmeath v Antrim.

Round 5

June 9/10: Meath v Laois; Carlow v Westmeath; Antrim v Kerry