Sunday
LEINSTER SHC ROUND THREE
Galway v Kilkenny, Pearse Stadium, 2.0 – Live, RTÉ2
This was pencilled in as one to watch from a long time ago for obvious reasons once Henry Shefflin was appointed. There are two ways of analysing Galway's progress to date. One is that the late collapse in Wexford Park was an excellent lesson in putting matches away but it was hardly a lesson Galway needed to be taught again.
Two is that the failure to take two points from that opening match is a sign that old habits are dying hard and proving resilient to the efforts of the new manager.
The big win over Westmeath was shooting practice and they managed to get 13 different scorers on the board. Now they welcome the Leinster champions to Pearse Stadium. Kilkenny have only played the back markers to date and struggled with Westmeath for the first half but blew away Laois.
Refreshing the team has involved moving around familiar players rather than bringing in lots of new faces. Attack still relies on TJ Reid, Eoin Cody, Walter Walsh and the relocated Pádraig Walsh.
James Maher returned for the Laois match, as hopes rise that he might be able to recapture the form that got him an All Star nomination before serious injury derailed his career.
Galway have a good record in the round-robin against Kilkenny and have beaten them home and away but the intervening two years have been nightmares in Leinster, inexplicably losing a final to these opponents and getting clipped by Dublin last year.
Shefflin will have excellent knowledge of the opposition but with Conor Whelan's hamstring injury, Galway are up against it. Verdict: Kilkenny
Laois v Wexford, MW Hire O'Moore Park, 2.30
Wexford have tumbled since their 100 per cent Division 1A campaign and something of that loss of confidence could be seen in Liam Ryan not taking on the shot at an equaliser last week against Dublin – the same Liam Ryan who blasted over a long-range equaliser against Kilkenny last year.
Laois have been cruelly sabotaged by injuries at the very stage they would have counted on giving sustained matches against the province's top teams to their best players. At their best, Laois would give this a rattle but anything under robs them of the chance. Verdict: Wexford
Westmeath v Dublin, TEG Cusack Park, 3.0
Dublin had an excellent win in Wexford, which opens the door to a top-three finish. Mattie Kenny expressed delight at how they had fought a rearguard action when reduced to 14 for the final 10 minutes. Westmeath haven't played Dublin much of late and although they've posted respectable scores to date against the top two teams, they have also been raided for goals.
Dublin's defence was excellent in Wexford and Seán Brennan is back in form in goal. That will be enough to win but they will want a more varied attacking threat. Verdict: Dublin
MUNSTER SHC ROUND FOUR
Cork v Clare, FBD Semple Stadium, 2.0– Live GAAGO
The first crunch match of the season in that the winners will expect to make the top three in Munster and the losers will struggle. Clare got off to a riotous start when comfortably beating Tipperary in Thurles and thanks to Ed Sheeran, they get to come back a week later. Cork may traditionally love the venue but Clare have had no complaints about it either in recent times.
The league match saw Cork win easily down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh – but also saw them thrash Limerick away. More pertinently, Clare were without Tony Kelly, John Conlon, Peter Duggan and Shane O'Donnell – all of whom played a prominent part in last week's win.
We know therefore that Clare are now better and the question remains is there any evidence that Cork have found an answer to the failings that exposed them so badly against Waterford in the league final and Limerick a fortnight ago?
They generally have no inhibitions against Clare but were still lucky to beat them last year. They will hope to get a better return from the talent in their forward lines than they have managed recently and Tipp got in for goals when backed by the wind.
There was, however, pace and directness about Clare a week ago and they have the muscle to make things uncomfortable for Cork, whose ability to rebound is still being taken on faith. Verdict: Clare
