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The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Joe McDonagh and Lory Meagher Cup match-ups lead crammed schedule of decisive hurling action for this weekend
WITH provincial finals and All-Ireland SHC places up for grabs, this weekend is set to be a pivotal one for hurling's top counties. We will also be a step closer to knowing who will be promoted to the Liam MacCarthy Cup for 2026 as the pairing for the Joe McDonagh Cup showpiece is decided. 2 Cork are suddenly in danger of having their season ended on Sunday 2 2017 All-Ireland winner Johnny Glynn has represented New York in football as well as hurling down through the years At both levels, the threat of relegation looms too for several counties aiming to capitalise on one last chance to preserve their current status. Ahead of a crucial series of fixtures, here is what is at stake for each of the teams involved . . . LEINSTER SHC Kilkenny With a flawless record from their four games to date, the five-in-a-row Leinster champions are already safely through to another final irrespective of the outcome of Sunday's trip to Wexford. Read More On GAA Galway Micheál Donoghue's men will join the Cats in the June 8 decider should they avoid defeat to Dublin at Parnell Park. Dublin Like Galway, the Dubs are already assured of a place in the All-Ireland series. But victory against the Tribe will also set them up for a rematch of last year's Leinster final. Most read in GAA Hurling Wexford Despite edging past Offaly last weekend, even another victory over Kilkenny will not be enough to extend Wexford's season. Limerick GAA fans troll RTE pundit Donal Og Cusack after win over Cork Offaly and Antrim Their meeting in Tullamore is essentially a relegation play-off, though a draw will also keep Offaly in the top tier due to their superior scoring difference. MUNSTER SHC Limerick With John Kiely's side chasing a seventh Munster title in a row, only a highly improbable 26-point defeat to Clare on Sunday — coupled with a Cork win over Waterford — would stop them from contesting the June 7 final. Tipperary Having concluded their round-robin campaign, Tipp are already guaranteed to join Limerick in the All-Ireland series. They will also meet the Treaty in the provincial showpiece if Cork fail to beat Waterford. Cork A first Munster final since 2018 will be the Rebels' reward for a home win against the Déise. A draw will be enough to send them through in third place, while a defeat will end their season. Waterford A Munster final is out of reach for Peter Queally's men. However, a win at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will see them qualify via the round-robin format for the first time. Clare The clash with Limerick is essentially a dead-rubber for the All-Ireland champions, whose hopes of retaining the Liam MacCarthy Cup ended with last weekend's wins for Limerick and Tipp. JOE McDONAGH CUP Only a draw between Carlow and Laois has the potential to deny Kildare a place in the Croke Park decider on June 8. Regardless of what happens at Netwatch Cullen Park, Brian Dowling's side are guaranteed to advance if they win at home to a Down side who are staring relegation in the face. Laois will contest the final as long as they avoid defeat to Carlow. If Kildare beat Down, nothing less than victory will keep Carlow in contention for an immediate return to the Liam MacCarthy Cup. At the other end of the table, relegation still lingers for Kerry, Westmeath and Down as all three teams are level on two points each. The Mourne men are bottom due to their scoring difference. The Kingdom and the Lake County square off tomorrow in Tralee, while Down will look to avoid a return to the Christy Ring by scuppering Kildare's dreams of playing in the Leinster SHC next year. LORY MEAGHER CUP New York, led by Galway's 2017 All-Ireland SHC winner Johnny Glynn and former Cork defender Seán O'Leary Hayes, have made the trip to TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar for tomorrow's semi-final against Monaghan. The winners face Cavan at Croker tomorrow week.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Laois rightly big favourites for Joe McDonagh Cup clash with Kerry
The bad news? This isn't the game you'd choose if you were looking to showcase Kerry hurling to the widest possible audience, as chances are there will probably be a wide margin between the sides come the finish. Laois come into the game off the back of a 39-point victory over Down in the previous round, while the Kingdom suffered a 19-point defeat at the hands of Carlow. Down, remember, are the Division 2 kingpins, while the Kingdom didn't even reach the final of the same competition. Chances are, then, that this could be another chastening enough experience for the green and gold in the small ball code. The way the Joe McDonagh Cup has played out so far it's been pretty obvious that Carlow and Laois are a cut above the rest. And it's been a good wee while since the Kingdom ruffled the feathers of the O'Moore County in league or championship. Indeed, when the sides met last year in Austin Stack Park the visitors on that occasion ran out very comfortable winners, 1-25 to 0-18, a ten-point margin between them come the finish. And, being honest about it, if John Griffin's men were to emerge from Portlaoise next Sunday with a defeat of a similar margin they'd be fairly satisfied by a job well done. The likelihood is Griffin and his management team won't risk Pádraig Boyle, Shane Conway and Daniel Collins for the game, given the importance of the final two games of the competition (away to Down, at home to Westmeath) when their survival in the grade will be decided. That said when it comes to Kerry hurling, as we're fond of saying, expect the unexpected. We would be quite surprised if they were able to turn over Laois this weekend, but stranger things have happened. Still Laois are formidable, a rejuvenated force under Tommy Fitzgerald, with players of the quality of Lee Cleere, Paddy Purcell, Aidan Corby, Tomás Keyes, Pádraig Delaney, Charles 'Cha' Dwyer, and Fiachra Fennell. Even without old reliables like Enda Rowland and Stephen 'Picky' Maher, Kerry are going to find Laois a seriously tough ask. Laois, while they were relegated from Division 1B, spent the spring-time playing at a much higher level. The bookmakers have Laois installed as overwhelming favourites for this one, nothing we've seen suggests they've called this one wrong. Verdict: Laois JOE McDONAGH CUP (Round 3) Laois v Kerry Sunday, May 11 O'Moore Park, Portaloise 4pm
