Senior hurlers hope to bounce back against Wexford

After the great excitement of Round 1 in the GAA hurling Munster and Leinster championships last weekend, it’s straight into Round 2 next weekend, with four games on the agenda. Action continues too in the Joe McDonagh Cup, which holds two slots for the All-Ireland race later in the season.

SUNDAY

MUNSTER

Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium, 2.0

Limerick v Cork, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 4.0

LEINSTER

Dublin v Wexford, Parnell Park, 3.0

Carlow v Kilkenny, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3.0.

JOE McDONAGH CUP

SATURDAY

Laois v Antrim, O’Moore Park, 3.0

Westmeath v Offaly, TEG Cusack , 3.0

DUBLIN v WEXFORD

They meet in the Leinster championship for the sixth time in seven seasons, Dublin won in 2016, 2014 and 2013 (replay). Wexford beat Dublin by two points in last year’s Leinster ‘round robin’ in Innovate Wexford Park.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2018: Wexford 0-22 Dublin 2-14 (Leinster round robin)

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 SH quarter-final) Replay

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

*Wexford are having their first outing in this year’s championship while Dublin are coming off a five-point defeat (2-23 to 1-21) by Kilkenny last Saturday.

*Wexford have scored only two goals in their last five championship clashes with Dublin, three of which they lost, one drawn.

*Dublin have won only one of their last six championship games, beating Offaly last year.

*Davy Fitzgerald is in his third season as Wexford manager. Their championship record over the past two years reads: Played 10, Won 5, Lost 5.

LIMERICK v CORK

They served up two of the best games in last year’s championship, with both finishing level in normal time. They drew in the Munster ‘round robin’ game in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and were level again after 70 minutes in the All-Ireland semi-final before Limerick powered to victory in extra-time.

This will be Limerick’s first outing in Championship 2019 while Cork have already lost a game, going down to Tipperary by 2-28 to 1-24 in Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Sunday.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2018: Limerick 3-32 Cork 2-31 aet (All-Ireland semi-final)

2018: Cork 1-25 Limerick 0-28 (Munster ‘round robin’)

2014: Cork 2-24 Limerick 0-24 (Munster final)

2013: Limerick 0-24 Cork 0-15 (Munster final)

2010: Cork 2-19 Limerick 0-12 (Munster semi-final)

*Limerick go into the championship as All-Ireland and Allianz League champions. Other than Kilkenny, no county has done that since Galway in 1989.

*Pat Horgan scored 0-14 (0-10 frees) for Cork against Tipperary last Sunday.

*Cork beat Limerick by 2-21 to 1-21 in the Allianz League in Gaelic Grounds in February in front of a crowd of 13,047. Pat Horgan (1-9, 0-9 frees) and Conor Lehane (1-1) were top scorers for the Rebels while Shane Dowling (0-6, 0-3 frees) Peter Casey (1-3) and Diarmuid Byrnes 0-6, (0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65’) were Limerick’s leading marksmen.

TIPPERARY v WATERFORD

Waterford are seeking their first championship win over Tipperary since the 2008 All-Ireland semi-final. Since then, Tipperary have won six times and drawn once (last year).

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2018: Tipperary 2-22 Waterford 2-22 (Munster ‘round robin)

2016: Tipperary 5-19 Waterford 0-13 (Munster final)

2015: Tipperary 0-21 Waterford 0-16 (Munster final)

2012: Tipperary 2-17 Waterford 0-16 (Munster final

2011: Tipperary 7-19 Waterford 0-19 (Munster final)

*They had contrasting experiences in the opening round last Sunday. Tipperary beat Cork by 2-28 to 1-24 while Waterford lost to Clare by 1-22 to 0-24

*Waterford are seeking their first win in the Munster championship since beating Clare in the 2016 semi-final. Since then, they have lost to Tipperary in the 2016 final, to Cork in the 2017 semi-final, to Clare, Cork and Limerick in last year’s ‘round robin’ and to Clare in this year’s ‘round robin’. They drew with Tipperary in last year’s ‘round robin.’

*Tipperary’s 2-28 score against Cork last Sunday was their highest in the Munster championship since the 2016 when they hit Waterford for 5-19.

CARLOW v KILKENNY

They meet in the Leinster championship for the first time since 1993 when Kilkenny won a semi-final by 5-19 to 0-16 in front of 12,000 spectators in Dr. Cullen Park.

Kilkenny were the reigning All-Ireland champions and went on to retain the title later in the year.

*Kilkenny made a successful start to the campaign last Saturday, beating Dublin in Nowlan Park while Carlow lost to Galway by six points in Pearse Stadium.

JOE McDONAGH CUP

First round wins for Laois (over Offaly) and Antrim (over Kerry) have set them up nicely for their clash in Portlaoise on Saturday. It’s a crucial game as the winners will take a big step towards reaching the final in the five-team group. Laois beat Antrim by a point in last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup game in Dunloy.

Offaly are already under pressure after the defeat by Laois, which makes a win over Westmeath hugely important for them. Westmeath, who reached last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup final where they lost to Carlow, are enjoying another good season, having been promoted to 1B of the Allianz League after winning the 2A title.

ALL-IRELAND & PROVINCIAL GAA HURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019

LEINSTER

Round 1

May 11: Kilkenny 2-23 Dublin 1-21, Nowlan Park.

May 12: Galway 1-24 Carlow 1-18, Pearse Stadium

Round 2

May 18: Carlow v Kilkenny, Netwatch Cullen Park; Dublin v Wexford, Parnell Park.

Round 3

May 26: Galway v Wexford, Pearse Stadium.

June 1: Carlow v Dublin, Netwatch Cullen Park.

Round 4

June 8: Wexford v Carlow, Innovate Wexford Park.

June 9: Kilkenny v Galway, Nowlan Park

Round 5

June 15: Dublin v Galway, Parnell Park; Wexford v Kilkenny, Innovate Wexford Park.

June 30: Final

MUNSTER

Round 1

May 12: Clare 1-20 Waterford 0-22, Walsh Park; Tipperary 2-28 Cork 1-24, Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Round 2

May 19: Limerick v Cork, LIT Gaelic Grounds; Tipperary v Waterford, Semple Stadium.

Round 3

June 2: Waterford v Limerick, Walsh Park; Clare v Tipperary, Ennis.

Round 4

June 8: Cork v Waterford, Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

June 9: Limerick v Clare, LIT Gaelic Grounds

Round 5

June 16: Clare v Cork, Ennis; Tipperary v Limerick, Semple Stadium

June 30: Final

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6/7: Preliminary quarter-finals

July 13/14: All-Ireland quarter-finals

July 27/28: All-Ireland semi-finals, Croke Park.

August 18: Final, Croke Park.

JOE McDONAGH CUP

Round 1

May 11: Laois 4-22 Offaly 3-21; Antrim 3-19 Kerry 0-14

Round 2

May 18: Laois v Antrim; Westmeath v Offaly

Round 3

May 25: Westmeath v Kerry

June 1: Offaly v Antrim

Round 4

June 8: Antrim v Westmeath; Kerry v Laois

Round 5

June 15: Laois v Westmeath; Kerry v Offaly

Final: June 30, Croke Park