Saturday
Division 1A
Galway v Cork, Pearse Stadium, 7pm (Live TG4) – Cork rebounded nicely after last season’s travails on Ben O’Connor’s first day in the league, settling into a good scoring rhythm early on – to the point where the match was over within about 10 minutes – and attacking with the gusto of last year’s best days. The asterisk is that Waterford appeared present in body only.
Galway lost out to Tipperary in weather-traumatised Thurles but it took a late display of authority from the All-Ireland champions to close it out. From Micheál Donoghue’s perspective, there was encouraging performance all around, from the youngsters Jason Rabbitte, Rory Burke and Aaron Niland, aggregating 1-7.
READ MORE
In Salthill for their first home match of the campaign, they will be in good form to take on the other All-Ireland finalists. Cork will welcome a more rigorous examination of their credentials and a more stress-tested view of things like dead-ball accumulations and up-and-coming players. You’d fancy the visitors to have enough in hand to return home with the points. Verdict: Cork
Division 1B
Dublin v Kildare, Parnell Park, 7.30pm – Dublin gave as good as they got for long periods in Ennis and went down to a decisive Tony Kelly endgame. Niall Ó Ceallacháin will understand that for all the kudos of the performance, promotion depends on winning the rest of the fixtures.
They host Kildare, back in Division 1 for the first time in 45 years. They are short half a dozen of the McDonagh Cup winning team but, given that promoted teams tend to start strongly, should be raring to go against the side that demolished them in last year’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Verdict: Dublin
Sunday
Division 1A
Offaly v Tipperary, O’Connor Park, 2pm – This is another fixture over which a previous All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final looms, when Tipp set a championship record, hitting 7-38. Offaly have evolved in the meantime and were very competitive against Kilkenny last week. Their luck didn’t improve and already missing half a team, they lost defender Donal Shirley to injury in the first half but it was a battling performance.
The All-Ireland champions started well with a late flourish against Galway and will expect to keep that going here. On a winter surface, it was Jake Morris who pulled them through but at the other end of the scale, a hugely promising display by corner back and former minor captain, Cathal O’Reilly. Verdict: Tipperary
Waterford v Limerick, Azzurri Walsh Park, 2pm (Live, TG4 Player) – Limerick open their season with a trip to Waterford, who had a bit of a horror show against Cork. The home team will still be missing a platoon of players. Even last week cost another two with Jack Fagan picking up an injury and Seán Walsh a suspension. Limerick motored through the Munster league and will hit the ground running. Verdict: Limerick
Division 1B
Antrim v Clare, Cushendall, 1pm (Live, GAA+) – A long old trip for Clare to take on the charges of their former player and manager David Fitzgerald. The visitors came good against Dublin and Brian Lohan had a look at a couple of newcomers, including the promising Clonlara and UL forward Diarmuid Stritch. Antrim got stung by another of their manager’s exes, Wexford but will be fired up for this. Promotion favourites have to win these sorts of matches. Verdict: Clare
Down v Wexford, McKenna Park, 2pm – Very tight verdict for a largely new-look Wexford last week but a win is a win and there has been talk Lee Chin could be back for this. Even if not, Down were beaten by 10 on their return to Division 1 although being reduced to 14 against Carlow for much of the second half influenced that. Verdict: Wexford
