With only one series of matches to go, the first division of the National Hurling League is set for a grandstand finish. Limerick and Cork have already qualified for the semi-finals from One A and One B respectively but there is a considerable scramble behind both teams for the remaining two play-off places.

The latter division remains the more open with nearly all five teams behind Cork (Kilkenny being the exception) capable of reaching the semi-finals. In fact Wexford, Laois and Tipperary have chances of going either way, qualification or into the relegation play-off with the bottom county in One A.

There haven't been too many surprises in the league to date. Limerick and Cork are unbeaten but both have their own motivations. In each case, the teams have something to prove (besides the obvious consideration that they meet in the championship on May 31st): Cork having established a good development momentum in last year's championship and Limerick under the new management of Eamonn Cregan anxious to set aside a poor outing against Tipperary in the Munster championship last summer.

Each has taken a diametrically opposite approach to the competition. Cregan has frequently said that he intends to try out as many players as possible before the end of the League and so far has started nearly two teams' worth of players (26 lining out in the four matches to date).

Jimmy Barry Murphy, on the other hand, took a deep breath and decided to settle on a team and persevere with it throughout the campaign. In so doing, only 18 players have started for him and of the extra three, Donal Og Cusack was included in the Wexford match at New Ross because of an injury to veteran Ger Cunningham, who would otherwise have played.

The danger for Cregan is that he will find himself no nearer a settled line-up by the time the league is over and the championship about to begin. Barry Murphy conversely runs the old, familiar, risk of concluding an otherwise successful campaign with a disastrous mauling in the play-offs and being forced back to the drawing board a metaphorical 10 minutes before the championship starts.

The semi-finals are scheduled for May 3rd. Assuming Cork are likely to top the group, their opponents - the second-placed team in One A - will be either Clare or Galway, who face each other in Ennis next Sunday. Clare hold the whip-hand in this encounter as they are two points ahead of last year's league finalists and will have to lose by four or five points if their superior scoring-average is to evaporate.

Limerick's opponents are more difficult to identify. Waterford are best positioned as they lead the chasing pack by a point in advance of their final match against Kilkenny this weekend. Should they lose, all three of the teams behind them could benefit.

Tipperary and Wexford re-enact last August's All-Ireland semi-final, won by the Munster county, who are a point behind their opponents and two adrift of Waterford. Scoring averages are fairly even between the two counties and Waterford, so whoever wins next Sunday would probably move ahead on scores.

Laois's chance of qualifying for the semi-finals is remote because of their poor scoring average, but if they can secure a big win over the section leaders in Cork they can advance. Nonetheless they are more likely to be involved in the relegation issue.

Should Kilkenny beat Waterford and Cork avoid defeat, Laois will probably finish bottom of the table, although Tipperary, depending on the scale of any defeat by Wexford, could also finish the campaign propping up the rest.