Preview: Weekend's provincial hurling championship action
Dublin senior hurling team manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
* The match day panels for all of this weekend's inter-county championship matches can be viewed and downloaded at the bottom of this article.
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Sunday May 24
Dublin v Kilkenny, Parnell Park, 2pm, RTE
John Hetherton and Ronan Hayes' power and poise mattered deeply in Salthill as Dublin earned a vital victory against Galway.
Now, another intriguing match looms for Niall Ó Ceallacháin's team at the Donnycarney venue.
Kilkenny have already lost to Galway and drawn with Offaly, and the Faithful County also divided the spoils with Dublin.
So, Derek Lyng's team will be especially eager to deliver in the capital. Eoin Cody and TJ Reid carry a potent attacking threat, but Kilkenny will be fully aware of Dublin's ability.
Kildare v Offaly, Cedral St Conelth's Park, 2pm, GAA+
Despite already being relegated, Kildare have summoned some gutsy performances in the Leinster SHC.
Offaly, though, have enjoyed a productive campaign, perfectly illustrated by the storming comeback against Wexford last weekend.
Eoghan Cahill's crisp finishing was a key feature in that Offaly success, while Brian Duignan and Adam Screeney are other talented attackers in Johnny Kelly's panel.
At the opposite end of the field, Brian Dowling will be hoping that Muiris Curtin, Gerry Keegan, and Darragh Melville can impress for the home team in Newbridge.
Wexford v Galway, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm
It has been a demanding year for Wexford, who will want to finish strongly against Galway on home turf.
Wexford, with Simon Donohoe and Lee Chin industrious, started brightly against Offaly, but the Faithful recovered to carve out a win.
Galway endured some difficulties themselves against Dublin at Pearse Stadium as the visitors' produced a gritty second period display.
Micheal Donoghue's mixture of established and emerging players will want to book a spot in the Leinster decider by earning an away win.
The Mannions, Daithí Burke, and Conor Whelan continue to provide leadership for Galway.
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Sunday May 24
Cork v Clare, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 4pm, RTE
With top three finishes guaranteed, reaching a Munster SHC Final is now the objective for Cork and Clare.
Wins over Tipperary, Limerick, and Waterford have been secured by Cork, who have adequately dealt with a number of defensive injuries.
Waterford posed stern questions in their most recent outing, but Ben O'Connor's spirited team found a way to survive. That augurs well for the remainder of the campaign.
Brian Hayes decorated that win with some delightful points, while Tommy O'Connell and Tim O'Mahony continue to make an impact.
Clare were fighting for their Championship life last Saturday evening in Thurles. Diarmuid Stritch's splendid contribution was significant, while David McInerney and John Conlon's guile counted for so much too.
Suddenly, all sorts of possibilities exist for Clare. The recent history is sprinkled with classic matches against Cork. Will another be added to the list Leeside?
Limerick v Tipperary, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 4pm
It has been a bitterly disappointing Munster campaign for Tipperary, who face another tough assignment against Limerick.
Following the pleasure of the 2025 All-Ireland triumph, it has been a painful couple of months for Tipp, who were soundly beaten by Clare in Thurles.
When Limerick overcame Waterford the following day, Tipperary's hopes for this year were extinguished. Despite the enduring excellence of Ronan Maher, Tipp won't hurl again until 2027 after Sunday.
Limerick finished smartly against Waterford with Peter Casey and Gearoid Hegarty grabbing vital goals. Cian Lynch's return added subtlety and style.
John Kiely's team have responded impressively following their opening game loss to Cork. The victories over Clare and Waterford were achieved in different manners, but the points were pocketed.
