ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE READY FOR TAKE-OFF
The 2023 hurling season is all set for a spectacular launch next weekend with first round Allianz League action taking centre-stage. It’s the start of a hectic programme in February-March, clearing the way for the finals in early April.
Waterford are the defending Division 1 champions, having won the title for the fourth time last year. Kilkenny, Galway, Limerick, and Clare have all won the title – some more than once – in the last decade but others have had a surprisingly long wait.
Dublin last won it in 2011, Tipperary in 2008, Cork in 1998 and Wexford in 1973. Antrim, Laois, and Westmeath, who are also in Division 1, have never won the title.
Cork’s League famine over the last 25 years is particularly surprising as they are third behind Kilkenny and Tipperary on the Roll of Honour with 14 titles, eight of which were won between 1969 and 1998. They have lost five finals since last winning the title 25 years ago.
DIVISION 1: CORK v LIMERICK LEAD ATTRACTIVE FIXTURES’ LIST
Last year’s Division 1 champions, Waterford begin the defence of their title at home to Dublin on Sunday while All-Ireland champions Limerick will be away to Cork on Saturday night.
Waterford won five, drew one and lost one of their seven League games last year to land the title for the first time since 2015. Stephen Bennett was the top scorer in the Division, finishing on 8-51, well clear of second-placed Donal Burke (Dublin) on 1-53 and Jason Forde (Tipperary) on 1-47. Dublin, who finished fourth in the table, and Waterford drew in their group game.
Cork beat Limerick by nine points in last year’s League but John Kiely’s men gained revenge in the Munster championship, winning by 11 points en route to retaining the provincial and All-Ireland titles.
Limerick had a disappointing League by their high standards, winning one, drawing one and losing three of their group games to finish fourth on the table. Cork reached the final where they lost to Waterford.
Wexford won all five game group games – the only one of the 12 counties in Division 1 with a 100 per cent record – before losing the semi-final heavily to Waterford.
Wexford beat Galway by six points in a group where the Tribesmen won three of five games.
Westmeath are back in Division 1 after taking the 2A title last year and begin their campaign away to Clare, who finished fifth of six after one win, one draw and three defeats.
After losing all five group games last year, Antrim survived in Division 1 with a relegation play-off win over Offaly. The Glensmen host Kilkenny, who beat them by three points in the opening round last year. Kilkenny went on to top the group (four wins and a defeat) before losing to Cork in the semi-final.
Derek Lyng takes over as Cats’ manager, which means that it will the first time since 1998 that Kilkenny start the season without Brian Cody as boss. He took over in November 1998 and completed 24 seasons before stepping down last July.
Tipperary (three wins and two defeats last year) host Laois (one win and four defeats). Tipp beat Laois by four points in the opening round last year.
DIVISION 2A: RELEGATED OFFALY HOPING FOR QUICK RETURN TO DIVISION 1
Offaly, who dropped down from Division 1 last year, begin their bid for a quick return away to Down, who topped 2A (four wins, one defeat) last year. However, they lost the final to Westmeath, thereby missing out on promotion.
Carlow and Kildare finished fourth and fifth respectively in the group last year. Kerry lost the semi-final to Westmeath and suffered more disappointment later in the season in the Joe McDonagh Cup final, losing to Antrim.
The Kingdom gets their League campaign off to a start away to Derry, who come up from 2B, where they won all six games last year.
DIVISION 2B: HOW WILL TYRONE FARE IN HIGHER GROUP?
Meath, who were relegated from 2A last year, begin their season against Wicklow, who survived in the group by beating Mayo in a relegation play-off.
Donegal and Sligo met twice in last year’s League with Donegal winning the group clash by two points. However, Sligo gained revenge by winning the semi-final by a point before losing the final to Derry by five points.
Tyrone, promoted from 3A, face London who finished fourth in 2B last year.
DIVISION 3A: MAYO AND FERMANAGH IN NEW TERRITORY
It’s new territory for Mayo, who dropped out of 2B last year after losing a relegation play-off by a point to Wicklow, and Fermanagh who were promoted from 3B after beating Longford in the final. Armagh, who lost the 3A final to Tyrone last year, will be hoping to go one better this time. Roscommon, who lost the semi-final to Armagh, will also have high hopes of promotion.
DIVISION 3B: CAN LONGFORD GO ONE STEP BETTER?
Warwickshire dropped down from 3A after taking only one point from five games last year. Longford lost the final to Fermanagh.
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE 2023 – KEY DATES
February 4/5: Round 1
February 11/12: Round 2
February 25/26: Round 3
March 11/12: Round 4
March 18/19: Round 5
March 25/26: Semi-finals & relegation play-offs.
April 1/ 2: Division 2&3 finals
April 8/9: Division 1 final
ALLIANZ GAA HURLING LEAGUE ROLL OF HONOUR (DIV 1)
19* – Kilkenny (1933-62-66-76-82-83-86-90-95-2002-2003-2005-2006-2009-2012-2013-2014-2018-2021*)
19 – Tipperary (1928-49-50-52-54-55-57-59-60-61-64-65-68-79-88-94-99-2001-2008)
14 – Cork (1926-30-40-41-48-53-69-70-72-74-80-81-93-98)
13 – Limerick (1934-35-36-37-38-47-71-84-85-92-97-2019-2020)
11* – Galway (1932-51-75-87-89-96-2000-2004-2010-2017-2021*)
4 – Clare (1946-77-78-2016)
4 – Waterford (1963-2007-2015-2022)
4 – Wexford (1956-58-67-73)
2 – Dublin (1929-39-2011)
1 – Offaly (1991)
*Galway and Kilkenny shared the title in 2021.
Football
After an exciting start to the Allianz Football League last weekend, it’s straight into Round 2 on Saturday and Sunday. And while the divisions are very much in their initial stages, counties who lost in Round 1 will be very anxious to avoid a second defeat as it will leave them under early pressure in the seven-match programme.
There will be a two-week break after Round 2, with Round 3 being played on February 18/19.
DIVISION 1: TWO INTENSE PROVINCIAL RIVALRIES SHARPEN EDGE ON SECOND WEEKEND
Two great provincial rivalries provide major attractions – Tyrone v Donegal in Omagh and Galway v Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Defending All-Ireland and Allianz League champions, Kerry have their first home game of the season (against Monaghan) while Armagh host Mayo.
Tyrone, who lost to Roscommon on Sunday, are seeking their first League win over Donegal since 2018. Donegal, whose confidence will be boosted by the win over Kerry on Sunday, won the last four League clashes with Tyrone, the most recent coming last year when they had four points to spare.
Roscommon beat Galway twice in Division 2 last year – by five points in the group encounter and by a point in the final. Galway gained revenge when beating the Rossies in the Connacht final. Both gave good performances last weekend – Galway drawing with Mayo in Castlebar and Roscommon beating Tyrone in Dr. Hyde Park.
Kerry have beaten Monaghan in their last three League meetings, including last year when they won by 3-14 to 1-12. Monaghan’s last win over the Kingdom was in 2018 (1-13 to 0-14).
Mayo (draw with Galway) and Armagh (win over Monaghan) did well last weekend, leaving both in upbeat mood for their clash the Athletic Grounds. Mayo beat Armagh by two points in last year’s League.
DIVISION 2: MEATH AND CLARE SHOW EARLY PROMISE
There’s a novelty value attached to the Limerick v Dublin game as it will be only the fifth competitive clash between the counties and the first since 2007 when they met in a Division 1A game in the Gaelic Grounds. A late point from a ‘45’ by Tomas Quinn edged Dublin to a one-point win – 0-14 to 1-10. That was the first game between the counties since 1993 when Dublin won a League game by six points in Askeaton.
Dublin beat Kildare by a point in Round 1 last Saturday while Limerick’s first game in Division 2 (they were promoted last year) ended in a heavy defeat against Derry.
Meath and Clare got off to winning starts, leaving both in good shape for their clash in Navan. Meath won the corresponding tie by a point last year. Kildare and Cork, both of whom lost in Round 1, last met in 2021 when the Lilywhites won four points. Louth and Derry last met in the League in 2020 when Derry won a Division 3 clash by four points.
DIVISION 3: GOOD START BY RELEGATED PAIR
Down and Offaly, who were relegated from Division 2 at the end of last season, made a good start in their bid for a quick return when beating Tipperary and Antrim respectively last weekend. Both will have home advantage in Round 2, with Down hosting Antrim and Offaly facing Fermanagh.
This will be the first League clash between Down and Antrim for many years while Offaly and Fermanagh last met in 2021 when Offaly won by five points. Cavan and Tipperary met twice in Division 4 last year – Tipperary won the group game by four points while Cavan beat them by a point in the final. Longford beat Westmeath by four points last year.
DIVISION 4:
Leitrim were the Division’s highest scorers in Round 1, hitting Waterford for 3-18 in a 16-point win. Andy Moran’s men will be in Ruislip next Sunday to take on London, who beat them by wo points last year.
Laois and Wexford last met in the League in 2013 when Laois won by three points in a Division 2 clash. Wicklow beat Sligo by five points in their last clash in 2020 while Carlow beat Waterford by four points last year.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2023 SHORTS
*Of the 16 games in Round 1, seven were home wins, six were away wins and three were drawn.
*Roscommon have the longest unbeaten Allianz League run of all 32 teams. They won six and drew two games in Division 2 last year and extended the unbeaten run to nine when beating Tyrone on Sunday.
*Down’s long run without a win ended when they beat Tipperary in Division 3. They lost six and drew one of seven Division 2 games last year but had three points to spare over Tipperary last weekend.
*Cork’s Stephen Sherlock and Leitrim’s Keith Beirne were top scorers in Round 1. Sherlock scored 0-14 (0-10 frees, 0-1 ‘45’) in Cork’s Division 2 defeat by Meath while Beirne hit 1-10 (0-6 frees, 0-1’45’) in Leitrim’s win over Waterford.
