Watch out for: The Munster hurling championship gets under way this weekend, with Davy Fitzgerald’s first game back in the Championship with Waterford, trying to stop the Limerick juggernaut. Waterford had a mixed league campaign, finishing third in Division 1B, as Limerick won the league title, but will know that league form is no guarantee of success after they crashed out of the Munster championship last year after winning the league.
While Limerick look in imperious form, talk of winning six All-Ireland titles in a row is “nonsense”, says Limerick’s Gearoid Hegarty, as the forward stresses nothing can be taken for granted in high-level sport, ahead of his side’s Championship opener against Waterford.
And another thing: The third all-Division One encounter in the football provincial championships in three weeks, Roscommon take on Galway in Dr Hyde Park after overcoming league winners Mayo in the first round of the Connacht championship. With a place in the final at stake against Sligo or New York, both teams will be fancying their chances of going all the way with a win on Sunday.
Novelty factor: Speaking of which, New York won their first-ever Connacht championship game two weeks ago when they beat Leitrim in the Bronx with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory. An away trip to Division Four champions Sligo awaits on Saturday for the Stateside heroes. And a place in the Connacht final and bizarrely, a place in the All-Ireland final stages for a team that did not even compete in the league system.
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Tailteann Cup watch: One of Sligo or New York will make the Connacht final, making the All-Ireland series instead of the Tailteann Cup. One of Limerick or Clare will also make the All-Ireland series by making the Munster final. So Meath, sixth in Division Two, know they need to get to the Leinster final to make the All-Ireland series. They play Offaly in the quarter-finals of the Leinster Championship.
If Down beat Donegal and Cavan beat Armagh in the Ulster Championship this weekend, then one of those teams will be in the All-Ireland series also. That would knock fifth-place in Division Two, Kildare, out of automatic All-Ireland qualification, they would need to get to the Leinster final to make the All-Ireland.
In the unlikely event that Tipperary also beat Kerry, then fourth-place Cork would be in the Tailteann Cup. After that it’s really going into obscure probabilities, but should all those events happen and Dublin lose to Laois, they could even be in the Tailteann Cup, should a number of more unlikely scenarios play out as the Leinster quarter-finals get under way. But mostly it will be Kildare and Cork that will be looking over their shoulder and watching for other results. Kildare play Wicklow on Sunday.
Fixtures and TV
Terrestrial televised games:
SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD
Ulster SFC quarter-final Down v Donegal, Páirc Esler, 2pm - BBC Sport NI
Munster SHC round 1 Waterford v Limerick, FBD Semple Stadium, 2pm - RTÉ2
Connacht SFC semi-final Roscommon v Galway, Dr Hyde Park, 4pm - RTÉ2
Games on GAAGO streaming service:
SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND
Connacht SFC semi-final Sligo v New York, Markievicz Park, 2.30pm
Munster SFC semi-finals Kerry v Tipperary, Fitzgerald Stadium, 4pm
Ulster SFC quarter-final Cavan v Armagh, Kingspan Breffni, 6.30pm
Leinster SHC round 1 Galway v Wexford, Pearse Stadium, 4.30pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD
Leinster SFC quarter-finals Laois v Dublin, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, 3.30pm
Munster SHC round 1 Clare v Tipperary, Cusack Park, Ennis, 4pm - GAAGO
Non-televised games:
SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND
Munster SFC semi-finals Limerick v Clare, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 7pm
Ulster MFC round 2 Antrim v Cavan, Dunsilly, 1pm Tyrone v Armagh, O’Neills Healy Park, 1pm
Ulster MFC round 3 Derry v Monaghan, Owenbeg, 1pm
Leinster SHC round 1 Antrim v Dublin, Corrigan Park, 2pm, Kilkenny v Westmeath, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6pm
Joe McDonagh Cup round 3 Kildare v Kerry, Hawkfield, 1pm Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3pm Offaly v Down, Glenisk O’Connor Park, 3pm
Christy Ring Cup round 2 Mayo v Tyrone, Hastings MacHale Park, 3pm
Nickey Rackard Cup round 2 Armagh v Donegal, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 2pm Fermanagh v Wicklow, Ederney, 3pm Louth v Roscommon, Darver, 3pm
Lory Meagher Cup round 2 Leitrim v Lancashire, Drumshanbo, 1pm Cavan v Monaghan, Kingspan Breffni, 4.15pm
Leinster U20HC tier 1 round 3 Kilkenny v Dublin, UPMC Nowlan Park, 4pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD
Leinster SFC quarter-finals Westmeath v Louth, Pairc Tailteann, 2pm Kildare v Wicklow, Netwatch Cullen Park, 2.30pm, Offaly v Meath, Glenisk O’Connor Park, 4pm
Ulster MFC round 3 Down v Donegal, Páirc Esler, 12pm
Christy Ring Cup round 2 London v Meath, Ruislip, 1pm Derry v Sligo, Owenbeg, 2pm
Lory Meagher Cup round 2 Longford v Warwickshire, Glennon Bros Pearse Park, 2pm
Leinster MHC quarter-final Offaly v Kilkenny, Faithful Fields, 12pm
Squad lists
Leinster football championship
Returned Dublin All Stars Jack McCaffrey, Paul Mannion and Stephen Cluxton have all been named in Dessie Farrell’s match-day panel for Sunday’s first defence of their Leinster title, against Laois in Portlaoise.
McCaffrey hasn’t played championship for the county since Jim Gavin’s last match in 2019 All-Ireland replay, which he departed injured. The following year he withdrew from the panel in Farrell’s first year, only agreeing to return last autumn. Former captain Cluxton sent a jolt through the football world when suddenly reappearing after three years’ absence in the match-day panel for the final regulation fixture against Louth. At 41, he didn’t see game-time in the league but is named on the panel for Sunday.
Dublin: David O’Hanlon; Eoin Murchan, David Byrne, Daire Newcombe; James McCarthy, John Small, Lee Gannon; Brian Fenton, Tom Lahiff; Seán Bugler, Colm Basquel, Ciarán Kilkenny; Paul Mannion, Con O’Callaghan, Ross McGarry. Subs: Stephen Cluxton, Cian Murphy, Cormac Costello, Craig Dias, Brian Howard, Seán MacMahon, Jack McCaffrey, Lorcan O’Dell, Killian O’Gara, Dean Rock, Niall Scully.
Laois: Scott Osborne, Sean Greene, Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott, Sean O’Flynn, Mark Timmons, Padraig Kirwan, Kieran Lillis, Damon Larkin, Kevin Swayne, Paul Kingston, Patrick O Sullivan, Eoin Lowry, Evan O’Carroll, Mark Barry. Subs: Killian Roche, Seamus Lacey, Alex Mohan, Ciaran Burke, James Finn, Cathal Doyle, Dylan Kavanagh, Darragh Carolan, Niall Corbet, Brian Daly, Colm Murphy.
Offaly: Ian Duffy, Lee Pearson, Declan Hogan, David Dempsey, Rory Egan, Peter Cunningham, Ciaran Donnelly, Jack McEvoy, Conor McNamee, Cian Farrell, Ruairi McNamee, Anton Sullivan, Dylan Hyland, Nigel Dunne, Jamie Evans. Subs: Corey White, Cian Donohoe, Bernard Allen, Joe Maher, Jack Bryant, Bill Carroll, Jack O’Brien, Aaron Brazil, Aaron Leavy, Shane Tierney, Shane O’Toole Greene.
Meath: Harry Hogan, Adam O’Neill, Ronan Ryan, Michael Flood, Donal Keogan, Padraic Harnan, Seán Coffey, Ronan Jones, Jack Flynn, Daithí McGowan, Mathew Costello, Cathal Hickey, Jordan Morris, Cillian O’Sullivan, Donal Lenihan. Subs: Seán Brennan, Keith Curtis, Jason Scully, Harry O’Higgins, Jack O’Connor, Ross Ryan, Thomas O’Reilly, Aaron Lynch, Ben Wyer, Diarmuid Moriarty, James McEntee.
Westmeath: Jason Daly, Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, Jamie Gonoud, James Dolan, Ronan Wallace, David Lynch, Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan, Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O’Toole, Sam McCartan, Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Lorcan Dolan. Subs: Trevor Martin, Conor McCormack, Kieran Martin, Daniel Scahill, Stephen Smith, Shane Dempsey, Eoin Mulvihill, Senan Baker, Darragh Seery, Andy McCormack, David Giles.
Louth: James Califf, Dan Corcoran, Peter Lynch, Donal McKenny, Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Ciaran Murphy, Tommy Durnin, Conor Early, Liam Jackson, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes, Daire McConnon, Ciaran Downey, Ryan Burns. Subs: Peter Mcstravick, Alan Connor, Jay Hughes, Ciaran Keenan, Craig Lennon, Conall McCaul, Oisin McGuinness, Conall McKeever, Dylan McKeown, Paul Mathews, Anthony Williams.
Kildare: Mark Donnellan, Mick O’Grady, Shea Ryan, Darragh Malone, David Hyland, Kevin Flynn, Jack Sargent, Kevin O’Callaghan, Aaron Masterson, Barry Coffey, Ben McCormack, Alex Beirne, Jack Robinson, Darragh Kirwan, Paddy Woodgate. Subs: Aaron O’Neill, Eoin Doyle, Paddy McDermott, Daniel Flynn, Kevin Feely, Mike Joyce, Paul Cribbin, Neil Flynn, Shane O’Sullivan, Brendan Gibbons, Matthew Kelly.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson, Eoin Murtagh, Paul Mc Loughlin, Malachy Stone, Karl Furlong, Patrick O’Keane, Zach Cullen, Dean Healy, Pádraig O’Toole, Cillian Mc Donald, John Paul Hurley, Arran Murphy, Mark Kenny, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy. Subs: Peter Byrne, Tom Moran, Joe Prendergast, Darragh Fitzgerald, Jack Kirwan, Fintan O’Shea, Jacques Mc Call, Gearoid Murphy, Sam O Callaghan, John Keogh, Cian O’Sullivan.
Connacht football championship
Sligo: Daniel Lyons, Mark Walsh, Evan Lyons, Nathan Mullen, Brian Cox, Paul McNamara, Luke Towey, Cian Lally, Paul Kilcoyne, Keelan Cawley, Sean Carrabine, Finnian Cawley, Pat Spillane, Patrick O’Connor, Niall Murphy. Subs: Keelan Harte, David Phillips, Jack Lavin, Luke Nicholson, Joe Keaney, Alan Reilly, Peter Laffey, Donal Conlon, Gerard O’Kelly Lynch, Mikey Gordon, Nathan Rooney.
New York: Michael Cunningham, Jamie Boyle, Alan Campbell, Eoghan Kerin, Bill Maher, Robert Wharton, Shane Brosnan, Johnny Glynn, Gavin O’Brien, Mark Ellis, Adrian Varley, Shane Carthy, Mikey Brosnan, Patrick Boyle, Daniel O’Sullivan. Subs: Adam Loughlin Stones, Matthew Queenan, Killian Butler, Colin Keane, Connell Ahearne, Niall Madine, Jack Reilly, Luke Kelly, Peter Fox, Tiernan Mathers, Shane Bolger.
Roscommon: Conor Carroll, Conor Hussey, Conor Daly, David Murray, Niall Daly, Brian Stack, Eoin McCormack, Keith Doyle, Dylan Ruane, Ciaráin Murtagh, Ciarán Lennon, Enda Smith, Ben O’Carroll, Donie Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh. Subs: Colm Lavin, Colin Walsh, Robbie Dolan, Niall Kilroy, Richard Hughes, Ruaidhrí Fallon, Cian McKeon, Conor Cox, Cian Connolly, Paul Carey, Daire Cregg.
Galway: Bernard Power, John McGrath, Seán Kelly, Jack Glynn, Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Cathal Sweeney, Paul Conroy, John Maher, Matthew Tierney, Johnny Heaney, Peter Cooke, Ian Burke, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh. Subs: Connor Gleeson, Cian Hernon, Seán Fitzgerald, Daniel O’Flaherty, Paul Kelly, Gerard Davoran, Owen Gallagher, Robert Finnerty, Dessie Conneely, Tomo Culhane, Cillian McDaid.
Ulster football championship
Cavan: Raymond Galligan, Killian Clarke, Padraig Faulkner, Jason McLoughlin, Ciarán Brady, Oisin Kiernan, Gerard Smith, Gearóid McKiernan, James Smith, Conor Brady, Dara McVeety, Jonathan McCabe, Cian Madden, Paddy Lynch, Oisin Brady. Subs: Liam Brady, Conor Moynagh, Conor Madden, Niall Carolan, Tiarnan Madden, Brandon Boylan, Ryan O’ Neill, Jack McKenna, Killian Brady, Martin Reilly, Conor Smith.
Armagh: Ethan Rafferty, Conor O’Neill, Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker, Greg McCabe, Ciaran Mackin, Barry McCambridge, Ben Crealey, Shane McPartlan, Stefan Campbell, Jemar Hall, Jason Duffy, Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt. Subs: Shea Magill, Ciaran Higgins, Connaire Mackin, Callum Cumiskey, Ross McQuillan, Stephen Sheridan, Jarly Óg Burns, Oisin Conaty, Rian O’Neill, Aidan Nugent, Cian McConville.
Down: Niall Kane, Pierce Laverty, Anthony Doherty, Conor Fitzpatrick, Danny Magill, Niall McParland, Miceal Rooney, Conor Poland, Ryan McEvoy, Ceilum Doherty, Ryan Johnston, Liam Kerr, Donach McAleenan, Pat Havern, Eugene Branagan. Subs: Charlie Smyth, Shane Annett, Anthony Morgan, Patrick Branagan, Daniel Guinness, Andrew Gilmore, Conor McCrickard, Rory Mason, Shealan Johnston, Gerard Collins, Conor Francis.
Donegal: Shaun Patton, Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan Ward, Caolan McColgan, Stephen McMenamin, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Caolan McGonagle, Jason McGee, Daire Ó Baoill, Oisin Gallen, Ciaran Thompson, Hugh McFadden, Jamie Brennan, Conor O’Donnell. Subs: Gavin Mulreaney, John Ross Molloy, Michael Langan, Brian O’Donnell, Rory O’Donnell, Luke McGlynn, Johnny McGroddy, Dylan Dorrian, Kieran Tobin, Jack McSharry, Kane Barrett.
Munster football championship
Kerry: Shane Ryan, Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White, Diarmuid O’Connor, Jack Barry, Dara Moynihan, Sean O’Shea, Paudie Clifford, Tony Brosnan, David Clifford, Paul Geaney. Subs: Shane Murphy, Dylan Casey, Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Adrian Spillane, Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Ruairi Murphy, Killian Spillane, Donal O’Sullivan, Micheál Burns, Mike Breen, Stephen O’Brien.
Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly, Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan, Willie Eviston, Kevin Fahey, Colman Kennedy, Colm O’Shaughnessy, Mark Russell, Jack Kennedy, Emmet Moloney, Teddy Doyle, Keith Ryan, Steven O’Brien, Stephen Quirke, Cathal Deely. Subs: Kuba Beben, Luke Boland, Darragh Brennan, Conor Cadell, Martin Kehoe, Conal Kennedy, Donough Leahy, Tommy Maher, Liam McGrath, Sean O’Connor, Mikey O’Shea.
Limerick: Donal O’Sullivan, Mike Donovan, Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett, Jim Liston, Cillian Fahy, Cathal Downes, Cian Sheehan, Colm McSweeney, Paul Maher, James Naughton, Brian Donovan, Hugh Bourke. Subs: Aaron O’Sullivan, Gordon Brown, David Connolly, Tommy Griffin, Davey Lyons, Tony McCarthy, Peter Nash, Ruadhan O’Connor, Liam O’Sullivan, Jack Ryan, Cormac Woulfe.
Clare: Stephen Ryan, Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Cillian Rouine, Ciaran Russell, Jamie Malone, Daniel Walsh, Darragh Bohannon, Darren O’Neill, Pearse Lillis, Emmet McMahon, Dermot Coughlan, Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton, Pádraic Collins. Subs: David Sexton, Gavin Cooney, Micheal Garry, Aaron Griffin, Shane Griffin, Darren Nagle, Ronan Lanigan, Mark McInerney, Cathal O’Connor, Alan Sweeney, Ikem Ugweru.
Munster hurling championship
Waterford: Billy Nolan, Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Mark Fitzgerald, Calum Lyons, Tadhg de Burca, Jack Fagan, Darragh Lyons, Jamie Barron, Neil Montgomery, Dessie Hutchinson, Michael Kiely, Colin Dunford, Stephen Bennett, Jack Prendergast. Subs: Shaun O’Brien, Conor Ryan, Tom Barron, Carthach Daly, Peter Hogan, Kevin Mahony, Austin Gleeson, Padraig Fitzgerald, Patrick Fitzgerald, Patrick Curran, Paddy Leavey.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid, Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash, Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes, Darragh O’ Donovan, William O’Donoghue, Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Peter Casey. Subs: Jamie Power, Conor Boylan, Michael Casey, Ronan Connolly, Colin Coughlan, Richie English, Graeme Mulcahy, Barry Murphy, Donnacha Ó Dalaigh, Cathal O’Neill, David Reidy.
Clare: Eamonn Foudy, Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan, Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney, Tony Kelly, Cathal Malone, Peter Duggan, Ryan Taylor, Aidan McCarthy, Ian Galvin, Shane O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers. Subs: Eibhear Quilligan, Cian Nolan, Aaron Fitzgerald, Shane Meehan, Aron Shanagher, Paddy Donnellan, Robin Mounsey, Rory Hayes, Cian Galvin, Jack Kirwan, Brandon O’Connell.
Tipperary: (released in alphabetical order) Barry Hogan, Cathal Barrett, Conor Bowe, Michael Breen, John Campion, Pauric Campion, Jason Forde, Enda Heffernan, Seamus Kennedy, Mark Kehoe, Patrick Maher, Ronan Maher, Conor McCarthy, Dan McCormack, Brian McGrath, Rhys Shelly, John McGrath, Noel McGrath, Jake Morris, Gearoid O Connor, Cian O Dwyer, Bryan O’Mara, Johnny Ryan, Sean Ryan, Conor Stakelum, Alan Tynan.
Leinster hurling championship
Antrim: Ryan Elliott, Paddy Burke, Ryan Mc Garry, Niall O’Connor, Gerard Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Conal Bohill, Michael Bradley, James Mc Naughton, Sean Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott, Conal Cunning, Neil McManus, Conor Johnston. Subs: Tiernan Smyth, Stephen Rooney, Phelim Duffin, Caolan Mc Kernan, Scott Walsh, Joe Maskey, Eoin O’Neill, Paul Boyle, Seamie McAuley, Rian Mc Mullan, Domhnall Nugent.
Dublin: Seán Brennan, Mark Grogan, Eoghan O’Donnell, Paddy Smyth, Paddy Doyle, Conor Burke, Daire Gray, Conor Donohoe, Chris O’Leary, Danny Sutcliffe, Donal Burke, Cian Boland, Alex Considine, Cian O’Sullivan, Paul Crummey. Subs: Eddie Gibbons, John Bellew, Eddie Moran, James Madden, Ronan Smith, Darragh Power, Cillian Costello, Ronan Hayes, Fergal Whitely, Joe Flanagan, Sean Currie.
Galway: Eanna Murphy, Jack Grealish, Gearóid McInerney, TJ Brennan, Padraic Mannion, Daithi Burke, Joseph Cooney, Tom Monaghan, Ronan Glennon, Cianan Fahy, Conor Cooney, Kevin Cooney, Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon, Evan Niland. Subs: Darach Fahy, Fintan Burke, Darren Morrissey, Eoin Lawless, Cathal Mannion, Seán Linnane, Jason Flynn, Liam Collins, John Cooney, Declan McLoughlin, Martin McManus.
Wexford: James Lawlor, Shane Reck, Liam Ryan, Conor Devitt, Matthew O’Hanlon, Damien Reck, Simon Donohoe, Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Conor Hearne, Oisin Foley, Lee Chin, Liam Óg McGovern, Rory O’Connor, Conor McDonald, Cathal Dunbar. Subs: Cian Byrne, Ross Banville, David Clarke, Mikie Dwyer, Connal Flood, Conor Foley, Kevin Foley, Richie Lawlor, Charlie McGuckin, Jack O’Connor, Joe O’Connor.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Pádraig Walsh, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Mullen, Timmy Clifford, Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly, Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody. Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Conor Heary, Conor Fogarty, Alan Murphy, Cian Kenny, Martin Keoghan, Niall Brennan, Tom Phelan, Shane Walsh.
Westmeath: Noel Conaty, Darragh Egerton, Conor Shaw, Johnny Bermingham, Robbie Greville, Tommy Doyle, Aaron Craig, Davy Glennon, Shane McGovern, Shane Clavin, Joseph Boyle, Eoin Keyes, Kevin Regan, Ciaran Doyle, Darragh Clinton. Subs: Conor Bracken, Charlie McCormack, Adam Ennis, Gary Greville, Cormac Boyle, Derek McNicholas, Niall Mitchell, Jack Gillen, Niall O’Brien, Eoin Daly, Micheal Daly.
