TODAYAllianz Hurling League

Division One

Dublin v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 5.15pm – Dublin are getting all the tough breaks at the vital end of the season. Playing Kilkenny in the crucial game of their season is the first. Losing Joey Boland and Conor McCormack for the rest of the league is the second.

As a result, Anthony Daly has delayed naming his team. The Dubs lost in the cruellest fashion to Galway a week ago but didn’t help their cause with a staggering tally of 19 wides.

The loss of Tommy Walsh for at least a month diminishes Kilkenny but they have more options than most and, after their topsy-turvy showing against Galway, they looked more settled against Waterford a week ago. Michael Fennelly has been a phenomenal presence for Kilkenny in this league and limiting his influence will be a crucial part of Dublin’s game plan. Kilkenny to edge it.

Division Two

Carlow v Westmeath, Dr Cullen Park, 2.30pm; Laois v Clare, Portlaoise, 5pm.

Allianz Football League,

Division One

Dublin v Down, Croke Park, 7.30pm – Pat Gilroy continues to cast his net even though this match can put Dublin into the final. Although the league’s only 100 per cent record is reassuring there have been concerns in the campaign to date, including an alarming inclination to tune out of matches for substantial periods.

It’s been a disappointing league for Michael Macauley who was such a revelation in last year’s championship but whose indifferent form saw him located on the wing in recent matches and tomorrow he starts on the bench. Bernard Brogan also gets to cool his heels after not making it back from Washington for the Mayo match.

Down have also had a good league with the one defeat, by Cork, coming after a largely competitive display. They still need to sort out centrefield, with Ambrose Rodgers’s recovery in time for the championship not guaranteed but that sector hasn’t been Dublin’s strongest either and none of last year’s top three centrefielders start this evening. Down have a penetration up front that will test the home defence, which trials Paul Brogan at full back. An interesting match and a narrow home win.

Division Three

Cavan v Louth, Kingspan Breffni Park, 7.30pm – There’s a question mark over Shane Lennon’s fitness but the visitors can maintain pressure at the top.

Connacht U-21 Football Final Galway v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium, 3.0 – Roscommon are on the trail of the county’s first back-to-back brace of provincial titles at this level. They’ve travelled a harder route, beating Leitrim and Mayo in Castlebar, than their opponents who took Sligo apart in the semi-finals. Galway have a couple of the minor All-Ireland winners from four years ago, captain Colin Forde (who’s named on the senior team tomorrow) and Tomás Fahy, and they can win Connacht for the first time since the All-Ireland-winning side of 2005.

All-Ireland VS Senior A Hurling Final (Live TG4)

St Brigid’s, Loughrea v Roscrea CC, Thurles, 12.45 – With two of the past three Munster titles, Roscrea lost the final in 2009 to today’s opponents but have emerged this time on the back of a strong campaign, including beating Kilkenny’s Coláiste Mhuire from Johnstown in the semi-final. St Brigid’s had a major tussle in their semi-final before seeing off Banagher but the Tipperary school can exact revenge for two years ago.

All-Ireland Colleges Senior A Hurling Final

Árdscoil Rís v St Kieran’s College, Thurles 2.30 – A re-run of last year’s final, which the Kilkenny college won with an extraordinary late burst. The Limerick college have been performing as on a mission this season. With more than half of last year’s team still available, their form line through common opponents Castlecomer and Charleville shows dauntingly bigger wins. Kieran’s haven’t got to lead the roll of honour for nothing and will doubtless improve for the final but it still looks like Árdscoil’s title.

SUNDAY

Allianz Hurling League,

Division One

Galway v Tipperary, Pearse Stadium, 2.30pm – Galway have played this league without Joe Canning and while they have been sketchy at times – sluggish in the first half against Cork, blitzed in the opening minutes by Kilkenny – they have finished games strongly, as they illustrated against Dublin a week ago. Reintegrating Canning to the team while retaining the flow generated will be the medium term project for Galway: it may begin at some stage today. Progressing to the league final is their immediate aim. Iarla Tannian, a pivotal figure in this league run, will return to beef up the attack.

Tipp are still some way of their championship pedigree and with Eoin Kelly out and Lar Corbett still shaking off the cobwebs, they may struggle to match Galway for scoring power here. Tipp make three changes; Brendan Cummins is rested, John Coghlan gets his league start at corner back and John O’Brien comes in for Noel McGrath at midfield.

Offaly v Waterford, Tullamore, 2.30pm – The pressure has lifted in Offaly to some extent after their win over Wexford. Joe Dooley’s side have been strengthened by the return of Shane Dooley and Ger Healion and Joe Dooley is unlikely to change his team much for this game.

It has been an unsettled spring for Waterford and the absence of Maurice Shanahan for the rest of the league is a further blow. If there is a surprise in today’s programme, it could well be in this match.

Wexford v Cork, Wexford Park, 2.30pm – Wexford’s Willie Doran replaces Tomás Waters at centre half forward and Eoin Quigley comes in at midfield.

Cork have enjoyed impressive display from Jamie Nagle last week and he is rewarded with another start here. Mark Ellis comes in at right-half back and Shane O’Neill at right corner back. No Eoin Cagodan either – Eoin Dillon will play fullback. Denis Walsh is still configuring his forwards, with Tom Kenny returning to his natural home at midfield and Bill Cooper starting at centre-half forward. The quest to make Michael Cussen a seamless part of the Cork attack is on-going and this is an important match for the big man.

Division Two

Limerick v Kerry, Kilmallock, 1.00pm – All is quiet in Limerick. So far, Donal O’Grady has done everything Limerick hurling people could have hoped: restored calm and reunification and set about the road to division one. He has made liberal changes from match to match but among those catching the eye are Seán Tobin at corner forward and Brendan Hourigan. This is a tough encounter from Kerry, hot on the heels of their crushing experience against Clare.

Down v Antrim, Ballycran, 2.30pm – The shortest journey of the season for the Ulster champions but Antrim must be bitterly disappointed not to have put a little more pressure on the big two in this division. Their league has revolved around their defeat to Laois and that one- point defeat to Clare: Liam Cahill has a point when he argues that his side have not had much luck this season. This is a chance to post back-to-back wins.

Allianz Football League,

Division One

Armagh v Galway, Athletic Grounds, 2.30pm – Galway have to win to retain a chance of saving themselves. The re-jigged line-up that brought Finian Hanley to centrefield gave Cork a contest the last time out and Cormac Bane had his shooting boots on with the Galway Garda in the All-Ireland inter-firms final during the week. But Armagh have been strengthened by the return of the Crossmaglen players from club duty and Jamie Clarke will add some much-needed menace to the attack. Charlie Vernon is named on the wing instead of at centrefield. Armagh have lost two of their home matches in the campaign to date but tomorrow’s visitors should be manageable.

Mayo v Cork, Castlebar, 2.30pm – Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea is expected to be fit for the fray, although Ronan McGarrity looks like missing out, which is a problem given Cork’s strength at centrefield, further illustrated with the introduction of James Fitzpatrick, further recognition along with Seán Kiely’s inclusion of UCC’s Sigerson success. The holders have however their own problems with Colm O’Neill out for the season with the dreaded cruciate. Nonetheless they should win.

Monaghan v Kerry, Inniskeen, 2.30pm – Kerry have had difficulties in Monaghan before but without losing and that trend doesn’t look like shifting tomorrow however much the home side could do with the points. Jack O’Connor’s side have an outside shot at the final but need Cork to slip up. Paul Galvin starts, as does Declan O’Sullivan. Marc Ó Sé is also back, after suspension. Monaghan manager Eamonn McEneaney is labouring under the likely loss of four senior players, Darren Hughes, Vincent Corey, Eoin Lennon and Paul Finlay.

Division Two

Derry v Meath, Celtic Park, 2.30pm – Meath haven’t established any sort of convincing form and need points from this and Tyrone on the last day. Home advantage and a greater solidity all around make John Brennan’s side the likely winners.

Donegal v Antrim, Ballyshannon, 2.30pm – Donegal under Jim McGuinness have been the surprise team in the division. Fifth in the betting at the start of the campaign they remain unbeaten and on top of the division – a state of affairs that won’t be changed by the visit of an under-strength Antrim side, who prop up the table.

Sligo v Laois, Markievicz Park, 1.30 – Laois started well only to fall back into the chasing group, but they can bounce back here. This won’t be easy either, as Sligo emphatically shook off their poor form to give Antrim a drubbing.

Tyrone v Kildare, Omagh, 2.30pm – Arguably the most crucial match of the afternoon, the winners of which will be in pole position to gain promotion (although the head-to-head against Derry may yet haunt Tyrone). The home side have begun to pick up form and with experienced heads such as Philip Jordan and the eternal Brian Dooher back in action, they have the capacity to handle Kildare’s power around the field and keep tabs on an attack where Rob Kelly was outstanding in the defeat of Meath.

Division Three

Limerick v Westmeath, Newcastlewest, 2.30pm; Tipperary v Wexford, Clonmel, 2.30pm; Waterford v Offaly, Dungarvan, 2.30pm.

Division Four

Carlow v London, Dr Cullen Park, 1pm; Fermanagh v Clare, Brewster Park, 2.30pm; Longford v Leitrim, Pearse Park, 2.30pm; Roscommon v Kilkenny, Kiltoom, 2.30pm.