Preview: Weekend's provincial hurling championship action

Saturday, May 16

Munster SHC Round 4

Tipperary v Clare, FBD Semple Stadium, 7pm - GAA+

Tipperary make two changes to the team that drew with Waterford last time out as Craig Morgan and Jason Forde come in for Sam O’Farrell and Seamus Kennedy while Clare name the same side that was beaten by Limerick in their last game.

This is a ‘must-win’ game for the Premier County who will see the defence of their All-Ireland title end before the Munster championship has concluded if they don’t get at least a draw out of this game.

Clare aren’t quite in so tight a corner as they currently have two points compared to Tipp’s one, but if they lose then their hopes of qualifying for the All-Ireland series will be in serious peril so the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The Banner were surprisingly poor when losing to Limerick by 14 points last time out and will need to improve significantly at both ends of the field if they’re to win this game.

Limerick exploited huge space between their two lines of defence and Clare’s poor shooting (they scored 1-18 from 35 attempts) also hurt them badly.

Tipperary have looked a little bit more solid defensively but need to get more from a forward unit that still hasn’t fully clicked this year with players like Jason Forde, Darragh McCarthy, and Andrew Ormond not hitting the heights they did in 2025.

It’s a tough game to call, but home advantage and their greater defensive solidity could swing a game of narrow margins in Tipp’s favour.

TIPPERARY: Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Ronan Maher, Bryan O'Mara; Willie Connors, Alan Tynan; Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond, Oisin O'Donoghue; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde. Subs: Brian Hogan, Seamus Kennedy, Brian McGrath, Noel McGrath, Sam O'Farrell, Jamie Ormond, Johnny Ryan, Keith Ryan, Conor Stakelum, Darragh Stakelum, Stefan Tobin.

CLARE: Éibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O'Farrell, Cathal Malone; Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor; Shane O'Donnell, Peter Duggan, Sean Rynne; David Reidy, Mark Rodgers, Tony Kelly. Subs: Eamonn Foudy, John Conlon, Shane Meehan, David McInerney, Cian Galvin, Jack O'Neill, Diarmuid Stritch, John Conneally, Ian Galvin, Conor Leen, David Fitzgerald.

Leinster SHC Round 4

Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium, 4.30pm - GAA+

Dublin make one change to the team that beat Wexford with Conor Groarke replacing Paddy Doyle in defence while Galway make three changes to the team that beat Kildare as Aaron Niland, Jason Rabbitte, and Ronan Glennon come in for Colm Molloy, Conor Cooney, and Joshua Ryan.

A win for Galway here would secure their place in the League Final with a round to spare, but they’ll need to improve on a surprisingly lacklustre performance against Kildare last time out when they trailed by 10 points at half-time.

Dublin have been an encouraging work in progress to date in the championship with their most recent win over Wexford especially impressive.

Conceding goals has been a big problem for Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s team so keeping a clean sheet in that game will have pleased him.

The return of a now 35-year-old Liam Rushe to the team at centre-back for the first time in four years stiffened the spine of their defence.

Galway’s exciting young team have performed really well so far this year and this game will give us a better idea of how close to the finished article they are because Dublin are a solid side who hurl with a lot of physicality.

It should be a close game, but the attacking flair of players like Cathal Niland, Conor Whelan, Aaron Niland, and Jason Rabbitte should give Galway an edge.

GALWAY: Darach Fahy; Ronan Glennon, Cillian Trayers, Darren Morrissey; Padraic Mannion, Daithí Burke, Gavin Lee; Cian Daniels, Tiernan Killeen; John Fleming, Cathal Mannion, Aaron Niland; Jason Rabbitte, Conor Whelan, Rory Burke. Subs: Eanna Murphy, Joshua Ryan, Kieran Hanrahan, Shane Morgan, Cianan Fahy, Sean Linnane, DArragh Neary, Colm Molloy, Thomas Monaghan, Oisin Lohan, Evan Niland.

DUBLIN: Eddie Gibbons; Conor Groarke, Paddy Smyth, Eoghan O'Donnell; Chris Crummey, Liam Rushe, Conor Burke; Brian Hayes, Conor Donohoe; Fergal Whitely, Donal Burke, Darragh Power; David Purcell, John Hetherton, Cian O'Sullivan. Subs: Sean Brennan, David Lucey, Conal Ó Riain, Ollie Gaffney, Conor McHugh, John Bellew, Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing, Paddy Dunleavy, Dara Purcell, Paddy Doyle, Ronan Hayes.

Kilkenny v Kildare, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6pm

Jordan Molloy has been ruled out of this game by a knee injury. His absence is feared to be a long-ter mone, and if that's the case he’ll be a big loss for Derek Lyng’s team.

His absence for this game presents an opportunity for Harry Shine who comes in at corner-forward with Cian Kenny moving from attack to midfield in order to fill Molloy’s boots.

Kildare have unsurprisingly named the same team that performed so well last time out against Galway. They lead by 10 points at half-time in that game before the concession of three second-half goals undid all that good work and they eventually lost by nine in the end.

The Lilywhites have performed creditably in every game they’ve played in the Leinster championship but still come up some way short, and that’s likely to be the case again here.

With just three points from as many games, this is very much a must-win game for a Kilkenny team that has yet to really find their stride this year, so they’ll be keen to put their best foot forward.

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Mikey Carey, Ivan Bolger; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Cian Kenny; Liam Moore, Eoin Cody, Tom Phelan; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Harry Shine. Subs: Aidan Tallis, Shane Murphy, Richie Reid, Rory Garrett, Cathal Beirne, Adrian Mullen, Stephen Donnelly, Ed McDermott, Fionan Mackessy, Luke Hogan, Timmy Clifford.

KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Liam O'Reilly, Rian Boran, Richy Hogan; Paul Dolan, Conan Boran, Simon Leacy; Daire Guerin, Dan O'Meara; Jack Travers, Cathal McCabe, Gerry Keegan; Darragh Melville, Muiris Curtin, Jack Sheridan. Subs: Mark Doyle, Evan O'Briain, Cathal Dowling, Tim Ryan, Harry Carroll, Conn Kehoe, Cian Boran, Tom Power, Caolan Smith, Alan Goss, James Burke.

Offaly v Wexford, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 6pm

Adam Screeney returns to the Offaly attack after missing their draw with Kilkenny due to a hamstring strain.

He replaces club colleague, Charlie Mitchell, who is sidelined for the foreseeable future after undergoing a procedure in St. James' Hospital.

Mitchell had taken a break from hurling earlier this year due to myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart, and was taken to hospital after the match against Kilkenny after feeling unwell.

Dan Ravenhill and Cathal King also come into the starting XV. They had missed the Galway game through injury and had to settle for a place on the bench against Kilkenny.

Wexford have made just one change to the team that was beaten by Dublin with Jack O’Connor, who impressed as a sub in that game, coming into the XV for Darren Codd.

The loser of this match will be out of the running for a place in the All-Ireland series, so the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Offaly have Kildare in the final round so they’ll know that a win here will put them in a brilliant position.

The Faithful County have drawn with Kilkenny and Dublin who both beat Wexford, so the form-line favours a home win here.

OFFALY: Liam Hoare; Ciaran Burke, Ben Conneely, Patrick Taaffe; Ross Ravenhill, Killian Sampson, Ter Guinan; Cathal King, Dan Ravenhill; Shane Rigney, Conor Doyle, Daniel Bourke; Eoghan Cahill, Brian Duignan, Adam Screeney. Subs: Mark Troy, Oisin Kelly, Colin Spain, James Mahon, Luke Watkins, Ciaran Cleary, David Nally, Luke Nolan, Jack Clancy, Ruairi Kelly, Eoin Burke.

WEXFORD: Mark Fanning; Darragh Carley, Liam Ryan, Simon Donohoe; Damien Reck, Richie Lawlor, Conor Foley; Diarmuid O'Leary, Conor Hearne; Ross Banville, Lee Chin, Jack O'Connor; Kevin Foley, Simon Roche, Cillian Byrne. Subs: Derry Mahon, David Clarke, Niall Murphy, James Byrne, Sean Rowley, Cian Molloy, Stephen Martin, Tomás Kinsella, Jack Redmon

Sunday, May 17

Munster SHC Round 4

Limerick v Waterford, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 3pm - GAA+

Aaron Gillane returns to the Limerick team for this match in place of Tom Morrissey having missed the win over Clare due to a calf injury.

The only other change to the side that won so impressively that day sees Dan Morrissey come in at full-back for Mike Casey.

Cian Lynch is back from suspension but must make do with a place on a strong-looking bench.

Waterford make three injury-enforced changes to the team that was beaten narrowly by Cork as Rueben Halloran, Shane Bennett, and Tadhg de Búrca come in for Stephen Bennett, Ian Kenny, and Iarlaith Daly who were all forced off in that match.

Waterford need to win this match to keep their slim hopes of qualification for the All-Ireland series alive but will still need other results to go their way.

The fact that they’re weakened by injury combined with the fact that Limerick have been in such good form makes a win for the home team the likely result here.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, William O'Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Adam English, Darragh O'Donovan; Gearóid Hegarty, Aidan O'Connor, Cathal O'Neill; Aaron Gillane, Shane O'Brien, Peter Casey. Subs: Colin Ryan, Mike Casey, Colin Coughlan, Fintan Fitzgerald, Hugh Flanagan, Ethan Hurley, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, David Reidy.

WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Aaron O'Neill, Mark Fitzgerald, Jack Fagan; Tadgh de Burcha, Paddy Leavey, Shane Bennett; Sean Mackey, Rueben Halloran; Calum Lyons, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast; Dessie Hutchinson, Sean Walsh, Kevin Mahon. Subs: Alex Reade, Conor Keane, Brian Lynch, Darragh Lyons, Austin Gleeson, Michael Kiely, Peter Hogan, Patrick Curran, Seamus Fitzgerald, James Power, Charlie Treen.