Hurlers must break losing away streak to preserve top status 25/03/2014
After a dramatic conclusion to the group stages of the Allianz Hurling League last weekend, it’s straight into the knock-out action in Division 1 where four quarter-finals will be staged next Sunday.
There are also relegation games in 1A, 1B and 2B in a seven-match programme as follows:
Allianz League Division 1 quarter-finals
Wexford v Kilkenny, Wexford Park, 3.30
Tipperary v Cork, Thurles, 3.30
Limerick v Galway, Gaelic Grounds, 3.30
Laois v Clare, Portlaoise, 3.30
Allianz League Division 1A relegation play-off
Waterford v Dublin, Walsh Park, 3.30
Allianz League Division 1B relegation play-off
Antrim v Offaly, Ballycastle, 2.0
Allianz League Division 2A relegation play-off
Armagh v Fingal, Inniskeen, 3.
CLARE v LAOIS
All-Ireland champions, Clare head into the quarter-finals as Division 1A winners while Laois qualify as fourth-placed in 1B. Clare’s only defeat came against Dublin and while they also dropped a point against Galway they won against Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford.
Laois beat Offaly and Antrim and lost to Cork, Wexford and Limerick.
The last big clash between Clare and Laois was in last year’s All-Ireland qualifiers when Clare won by 1-32 to 0-15 in Ennis. The winners of next Sunday’s tie will play Cork or Tipperary in the semi-finals on April 20.
How they reached the quarter-finals
Clare 1-16 Kilkenny 0-18, Ennis
Dublin 2-17 Clare 0-17, Parnell Park
Clare 4-15 Tipperary 0-20, Thurles
Clare 5-18 Waterford 0-20, Ennis
Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15, Ennis
Won 3, Drew 1, Lost 1.
***
Laois 1-19 Offaly 2-14, Tullamore
Cork 0-14 Laois 0-7, Portlaoise
Laois 2-21 Antrim 0-21, Portlaoise
Wexford 2-21 Laois 1-18, Wexford Park
Limerick 1-17 Laois 1-13, Portlaoise
Won 2, Lost 3.
CORK v TIPPERARY
Yet another instalment in a fascinating rivalry is certain to draw a big crowd as Cork and Tipperary battle it out for a place against Clare or Laois in the semi-finals on April 20. Cork reached the quarter-finals as Division 1B winners (thus ensuring promotion to 1A) while Tipperary qualified as fourth-placed in Division 1B.
The sides last clashed in the Allianz League last year when Cork won a 1A tie by 0-26 to 1-11 in Pairc Ui Rinn.
How they reached the quarter-finals
Cork 0-17 Limerick 0-17, Pairc Ui Rinn
Cork 0-14 Laois 0-7, Portlaoise
Cork 1-24 Offaly 1-18, Pairc Ui Rinn
Cork 0-18 Antrim 1-12, Ballycastle
Cork 2-24 Wexford 1-20, Pairc Ui Rinn
Won 4, Drew 1.
***
Tipperary 2-13 Waterford 0-16, Thurles
Kilkenny 5-20 Tipperary 5-14, Nowlan Park
Clare 4-15 Tipperary 0-20, Thurles
Galway 3-16 Tipperary 1-19, Pearse Stadium
Tipperary 1-19 Dublin 0-19, Thurles
Won 2, Lost 3.
KILKENNY v WEXFORD
Two of hurling’s great rivals go head-to-head in Wexford Park for the right to play Galway or Limerick in the semi-final on April 20. Kilkenny qualified as runners-up to Clare in 1A while Wexford finished third in 1B. The counties haven’t met in the Allianz League since 2011 when Kilkenny won by 2-16 to 0-17 in Nowlan Park while their last championship encounter was also in 2011 when Kilkenny won the Leinster semi-final by 1-26 to 1-15 in Wexford Park.
How they reached the quarter-finals
Clare 1-16 Kilkenny 0-18, Ennis
Kilkenny 5-20 Tipperary 5-14, Nowlan Park
Kilkenny 2-16 Galway 1-16, Nowlan Park
Dublin 1-22 Kilkenny 3-13, Parnell Park
Kilkenny 4-22 Waterford 0-14, Nowlan Park
Won 3, Lost 2
***
Wexford 0-15 Antrim 1-11, Ballycastle
Wexford 2-19 Offaly 2-13, New Ross
Limerick 1-14 Wexford 2-8, Gaelic Grounds
Wexford 2-21 Laois 1-18, Wexford Park
Cork 2-24 Wexford 1-20, Pairc Ui Rinn
Won 3, Lost 2
GALWAY v LIMERICK
Galway finished third in 1A while Limerick were runners-up in 1B after winning three and drawing two of their five games. It will be the counties’ first meeting in the Allianz League since 2010 when Galway won by 1-18 to 1-11 in Kilmallock in a season when Limerick were relegated. Next Sunday’s winners will play Kilkenny or Wexford in the semi-final on April 20.
How they reached the quarter-finals
Galway 0-28 Dublin 1-12, Pearse Stadium
Waterford 0-22 Galway 1-13, Walsh Park
Kilkenny 2-16 Galway 1-16, Nowlan Park
Galway 3-16 Tipperary 1-19, Pearse Stadium
Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15, Ennis
Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 2.
***
Cork 0-17 Limerick 0-17, Pairc Ui Rinn
Limerick 3-26 Antrim 0-12, Gaelic Grounds
Limerick 1-14 Wexford 2-8, Gaelic Grounds
Offaly 2-15 Limerick 2-15, Tullamore
Limerick 1-17 Laois 1-13, Portlaoise
Won 3, Drew 2
DUBLIN v WATERFORD
Both had two wins in 1A but lost out to Tipperary (also on 4 points) for a quarter-final place on scoring difference. Waterford won the head-to-head contest with Dublin by 1-13 to 1-10 in Walsh Park on March 9. Pauric Mahony scored 1-8 for Waterford who were reduced to 14 men on the half-hour mark when Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh was sent off.
Waterford led by 1-10 to 0-8 at half-time and while Dublin staged a late surge in the second half, Waterford held on for a three-point win.
How they got here
Galway 0-28 Dublin 1-12, Pearse Stadium
Dublin 2-17 Clare 0-17, Parnell Park
Waterford 1-13 Dublin 1-10, Walsh Park
Dublin 1-22 Kilkenny 3-13, Parnell Park
Tipperary 1-19 Dublin 0-19, Thurles
Won 2, Lost 3
***
Tipperary 2-13 Waterford 0-16, Thurles
Waterford 0-22 Galway 1-13, Walsh Park
Waterford 1-13 Dublin 1-10, Walsh Park
Clare 5-18 Waterford 0-20, Ennis
Kilkenny 4-22 Waterford 0-14, Nowlan Park
Won 2, Lost 3
ANTRIM v OFFALY
They will meet for the second time in a week after Offaly easily beat Antrim (5-27 to 4-9) last Sunday. However, that game was in Tullamore so Antrim will be hoping that home advantage gives them a fresh impetus in their bid to remain in 1B. They were completely off the pace last Sunday, especially in a first-half where they were out-scored by 5-16 to 1-3. The winners of Sunday’s game will remain in 1B next season while the losers will play the winners of the 2A final between Carlow and Kerry to decide placings for 2-15.
How they got here
Laois 1-19 Offaly 2-14, Tullamore
Wexford 2-19 Offaly 2-13, New Ross
Cork 1-24 Offaly 1-18, Pairc Ui Rinn
Offaly 2-15 Limerick 2-15, Tullamore
Offaly 5-27 Antrim 4-9, Tullamore
Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 3
***
Wexford 0-15 Antrim 1-11, Ballycastle
Limerick 3-26 Antrim 0-12, Gaelic Grounds
Laois 2-21 Antrim 0-21, Portlaoise
Cork 0-18 Antrim 1-12, Ballycastle
Offaly 5-27 Antrim 4-9, Tullamore
Lost 5
FINGAL v ARMAGH
The losers will play the winners of 3A (Roscommon v Donegal) to decide placings for next season. Fingal have already beaten Armagh in this year’s League, winning by 2-18 to 2-13 on February 23.
2014 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE: RESULTS AND FIXTURES
Allianz League Division 1A
Round 1: Tipperary 2-13 Waterford 0-16; Clare 1-16 Kilkenny 0-18; Galway 0-28 Dublin 1-12.
Round 2: Kilkenny 5-20 Tipperary 5-14; Dublin 2-17 Clare 0-17; Waterford 0-22 Galway 1-13.
Round 3: Kilkenny 2-16 Galway 1-16 Clare 4-15 Tipperary 0-20; Waterford 1-13 Dublin 1-10.
Round 4: Dublin 1-22 Kilkenny 3-13; Clare 5-18 Waterford 0-20 Galway 3-16 Tipperary 1-19.
Round 5: Tipperary 1-19 Dublin 0-19; Kilkenny 4-22 Waterford 0-14; Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15.
Allianz League Division 1B
Round 1: Cork 0-17 Limerick 0-17; Laois 1-19 Offaly 2-14; Wexford 0-15 Antrim 1-11.
Round 2: Cork 0-14 Laois 0-7; Wexford 2-19 Offaly 2-13; Limerick 3-26 Antrim 0-12.
Round 3: Limerick 1-14 Wexford 2-8; Laois 2-21 Antrim 1-21; Cork 1-24 Offaly 1-18.
Round 4: Offaly 2-15 Limerick 2-15; Cork 0-18 Antrim 1-12; Wexford 2-21 Laois 1-18.
Round 5: Cork 2-24 Wexford 1-20; Limerick 1-17 Laois 1-13; Offaly 5-27 Antrim 4-9.
Allianz League Play-offs
March 23: Quarter-finals: Clare v Laois; Top 1A v 4th 1B; 2nd 1A v 3rd 1B; 3rd 1A v 2nd 1B; 4th 1A v Top 1B.
1A: Relegation play-off:
April 20: Semi-finals: Clare/Laois v Cork/Tipperary; Galway/Limerick v Kilkenny/Wexford
May 4: Final
Allianz League Division 2A
Round 1: Kerry 4-24 Derry 3-8; Carlow 1-18 Kildare 1-9; Westmeath 0-13 London 0-13.
Round 2: Carlow 2-12 London 0-8; Kerry 2-24 Kildare 0-13; Derry 3-11 Westmeath 0-8.
Round 3: Kerry 3-13 Westmeath 2-15; London 1-21 Kildare 0-18; Carlow 2-20 Derry 0-12.
Round 4: Derry 1-13 London 0-10; Westmeath 3-11 Kildare 1-14; Kerry 3-13 Carlow 0-17.
Round 5: Kerry 2-17 London 1-18; Carlow 2-21 Westmeath 0-13; Kildare 3-17 Derry 4-14.
April 5: Final: Carlow v Kerry
Allianz League Division 2B:
Round 1: Mayo 2-13 Fingal 3-9; Down 2-20 Armagh 1-7; Wicklow 1-15 Meath 0-8.
Round 2: Down 1-15 Wicklow 0-10; Meath 0-12 Mayo 0-7; Fingal 2-18 Armagh 2-13.
Round 3: Wicklow 2-14 Armagh 0-15; Meath 5-22 Fingal 1-7; Down 0-17 Mayo 0-13.
Round 4: Wicklow 0-16 Mayo 0-9; Down 4-19 Fingal 2-10; Meath 1-21 Armagh 3-9.
Round 5: Wicklow 3-32 Fingal 2-8; Down 2-8 Meath 0-11; Mayo 1-19 Armagh 1-11
Relegation play-off (March 30): Fingal v Armagh
Final: (April 5): Down v Wicklow
Allianz League Division 3A
Round 1: Roscommon 2-16 Louth 1-15; Donegal 2-19 Fermanagh 1-13; Longford 3-11 Monaghan 2-13.
Round 2: Fermanagh 5-13 Louth 2-12; Monaghan 1-12 Roscommon 1-8 Donegal 1-20 Longford 3-9.
Round 3: Monaghan 0-15 Louth 1-11; Fermanagh 2-8 Longford 0-13; Roscommon 3-11 Donegal 0-15.
Round 4: Louth 3-11 Longford 1-10; Roscommon 4-20 Fermanagh 0-10; Donegal 3-16 Monaghan 1-7.
Round 5: Fermanagh 2-15 Monaghan 1-11; Roscommon 3-14 Longford 0-10; Donegal 2-15 Louth 1-15
Final (April 5): Donegal v Roscommon
Allianz League Division 3B
Round 1: Warwickshire 0-12 Sligo 2-5; Tyrone 0-14 Leitrim 1-7.
Round 2: Tyrone 4-13 Warwickshire 1-15; March 16: Leitrim 2-11 Sligo 2-9.
Round 3: Leitrim 0-15 Warwickshire 1-11; Tyrone 2-16 Sligo 1-10
Final: April 5: Tyrone v Leitrim
