NHL round-up: Kilkenny will meet the winners of the Division 1B final in the Allianz hurling league semi-final after their 3-26 to 0-10 win over Galway at Nowlan Park today left them on top of the Division 1A table.
First-half goals from Matthew Ruth, TJ Reid and Eoin Larkin helped sweep Anthony Cunningham’s team aside and they will now go on to meet either Limerick or Clare.
The other semi-final will see Cork and Tipperary face each other for the second time in two matches after an epic game between the sides in Semple Stadium finished 1-23 apiece.
At the bottom of the table, Galway find themselves in a relegation play-off against Dublin in a fortnight after the hiding in Nowlan Park.
It was manager Anthony Cunningham’s second defeat of the weekend to a team in black and amber after his Garrycastle side lost the All Ireland club final replay to Crossmaglen yesterday.
His Galway side weren’t at the races at all and will probably now go into the play-off as underdogs.
Dublin lost to Waterford by 0-17 to 0-13 in Fraher Field, playing without a whole host of first-teamers as Anthony Daly chose not to risk anyone with even a slight injury ahead of the relegation play-off.
The result left Waterford safely in Division 1A next year.
In Division 1B, Clare pulled off a dramatic 2-14 to 0-19 win over Offaly despite having to play most of the match with 14 men after Fergal Lynch was sent off only eight minutes in.
The upshot is that they will meet Limerick next weekend after John Allen’s side beat Antrim by 3-22 to 0-17 in Casement Park.
Allianz Hurling League results
Division 1A
Kilkenny 3-26 Galway 0-10
Tipperary 1-23 Cork 1-23
Waterford 0-17 Dublin 0-13
Division 1B
Antrim 0-17 Limerick 3-22
Offaly 0-19 Clare 2-14
Wexford 4-18 Laois 0-15
Division 2A
Derry 0-15 Kerry 1-07
Down 2-20 Westmeath 3-21
Wicklow 1-11 Carlow 1-11
Division 2B
Armagh 0-08 Meath 1-19
Mayo 1-20 Kildare 0-19
Roscommon 3-22 London 2-14
Division 3A
Fingal 2-19 Donegal 4-12
Louth 0-24 Tyrone 0-16
Monaghan 4-18 Sligo 2-09
Division 3B
Leitrim 2-10 Warwickshire 2-20
Fermanagh v Longford (postponed)
