Pressure shifts from Limerick to Dublin

ALLIANZ NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE:SUNDAY'S CLOSING round of the National Hurling League has been dismissed by many people as a non-event, but try telling that to Dublin and Limerick. They may be the only two teams with something to play for in Division One, but given they are playing to maintain that status it may also be their most important game all year.

The losers will be relegated, no matter what happens in the other three top-flight games.

Dublin have the advantage of home territory, in Parnell Park, and some further incentive too in that a draw would also ensure their survival – but manager Anthony Daly faces an anxious few days as he awaits fitness updates on a number of central players.

Corner forward David Treacy is the latest concern having picked up a hamstring injury at training over the weekend, and the young Cuala player would be a major loss if he doesn’t make it.

Daly is already without one key player in full back Tomás Brady, who is suspended for the game having received a straight red card in the penultimate round against Galway, somewhat dubiously, along with Galway’s Cyril Donnellan.

On top of that, defender Joey Boland and forward Peter Kelly are further injury concerns, while on the long-term injury list is Michael Carton.

Limerick’s season to date has been largely about manager Justin McCarthy’s battle to survive as manager, more so than surviving in Division One, but after McCarthy got the definite stamp of approval from county delegates last month, team spirits appear to have soared.

They’re still without a win – with six defeats in six games – and still without the majority of last year’s self-exiled panellists, but they were relatively competitive in the last round against Kilkenny, and given Limerick were expected to be relegated all along, the pressure to survive is certainly on Dublin – who have only two points from their six games, going back to the second round win over Tipperary.

With Offaly safe from relegation on four points, a win for Limerick would leave them level with Dublin on two points apiece – and in that case Dublin would be relegated, and Limerick would survive, on the basis of the head-to-head rule, which is used to separate two teams that finish level on points.

At the other end of the league table, Kilkenny (six points), Tipperary (seven points) and Waterford (eight points) are also all clear of relegation, but are also all beyond reaching the league final – as Cork (11 points) and Galway (10 points) are already destined to meet on May 2nd following their wins in the last round over Tipperary and Dublin respectively.

Their meeting on Sunday thus becomes a dress rehearsal for the final, as even if Waterford beat Kilkenny, Galway progress on the basis of beating Waterford in the earlier rounds.

The closing round of Division Two is only marginally more interesting in that, as things stand, Wexford and Clare are headed towards the final, also on May 2nd – and where only the winners will be promoted to Division One for 2011.

However, while Clare are definitely in the final, Wexford still have to beat Antrim on Sunday to be sure of their place – and although current form suggests they will, manager Colm Bonnar has a several injury concerns.

Centre forward Willie Doran is definitely out after dislocating his elbow in the win over Laois in the penultimate round last Sunday week, as is corner forward Jim Berry, who broke his arm in a recent club game.

Corner back Paul Roche is also nursing a groin strain, while fellow defenders Richie Kehoe (groin), Darren Stamp (knee) and Ciarán Kenny (hand) are also doubtful starters.

“Antrim are out of the running for promotion,” noted Bonnar, “but that fact won’t make them any less dangerous opposition for us. They will be determined to end their league campaign with a flourish to give themselves a boost ahead of the championship. And Antrim will take a lot of confidence and encouragement from the fact that they have beaten Wexford in the league in the last two years.”

Truth is, Antrim’s form has been very poor of late, with only two wins from six games, and two defeats recently to Westmeath and Down.

Despite this, Division Two hurling has been quite competitive, and Laois can still make the final, too, if they beat Carlow (and Wexford lose). And Carlow can also make it if they beat Laois (and Wexford do no better than a draw against Antrim, on the basis that Carlow beat Wexford in the earlier rounds).

Wexford’s fate then is in their own hands, but even if they do make the final, Clare, who are unbeaten this season, would be slightly more fancied for promotion.

Last year, Wexford narrowly lost out to Offaly in the Division Two final, despite beating them in the earlier rounds, and were thus resigned to another season in Division Two.