Leinster Council reveal fixture schedule

THE LEINSTER Council has now agreed the dates for next year’s provincial football and hurling championships although, as expected, it has deferred the naming of the venues until the New Year – with the exception of the football and hurling finals, which will definitely be played at Croke Park.

The football championship will begin on Sunday May 16th, with the first-round meeting between Wicklow and Carlow. This will be followed on Sunday, May 23rd, with the other two first-round clashes featuring Louth against Longford, and Meath against Offaly.

Two of the four quarter-finals will take place on Sunday, June 6th; Kildare against either Louth or Longford, and Westmeath against either Wicklow or Carlow. The other two quarter-finals have been set for the following Sunday, June 13th – and will feature Laois against either Meath or Offaly, and Dublin against Wexford.

This would appear to suggest a double-bill in Croke Park, given Dublin’s inevitable drawing power. The Wexford County Board have submitted a request to have the game played at their home ground, Wexford Park, which has a capacity of 25,000, but this is unlikely to happen, given the loss of revenue involved were that to be the case.

The Leinster football semi-finals have been set for separate dates; one on Saturday, June 26th, involving Louth/Longford/Kildare against Wicklow/Carlow /Westmeath; the other on Sunday, June 27th, involving Meath/Offaly/Laois v Wexford/Dublin. The final has been set for July 11th at Croke Park.

The Leinster hurling championship will begin on May 23rd with the first-round meeting of Carlow against Laois, followed by Antrim against Offaly on May 30th, with Wexford against Galway and Dublin against Carlow/Laois both set for Sunday, June 6th.

Kilkenny will feature in the semi-final on June 20th against Dublin/Carlow/Laois, with the other semi-final involving Wexford/Galway against Antrim/Offaly set for Saturday, June 19th. The final will be played on July 4th.

The Leinster Council announced yesterday patrons will be admitted free to the refixed club football semi-final between Portlaoise and Clara at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise on Saturday (2.15).