The 1998 National Hurling League season will start on March 8th and the main competition will be played in two sections, with six counties in each. Division 1A will feature Antrim, Clare, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Offaly and Division 1B, Kilkenny, Cork, Laois, Wexford, Waterford and Tipperary. On the opening day, the matches are: Clare v Antrim; Dublin v Galway; Offaly v Limerick; Cork v Kilkenny; Wexford v Laois and Tipperary v Waterford. The first-named team will have home advantage.

The National Football League will resume on February 1st after the winter break with four matches in Section D. Waterford will be at home to Tipperary, Kildare will play Cork, Limerick will meet Wicklow and Clare will entertain Down. On February 15th in Section A, Laois meet Louth, Mayo meet Leitrim, Carlow play Kilkenny and Fermanagh will be at home to Galway.

In Section B, Donegal will be at home to Westmeath, London will play Antrim, Longford will meet Derry and Meath play Armagh. In Section C, Kerry will be at home to Tyrone, Dublin will entertain Monaghan, Cavan are at home to Wexford and Sligo are at home to Offaly.

In Section D, Wicklow will play Waterford, Kildare will meet Clare, Limerick will meet Tipperary and Cork will play Roscommon. The preliminary matches in the National League will be completed on March 1st and March 15th.

Next weekend sees a winding down of the year in both football and hurling. There will be only one National League match, that between Down and Kildare in Newry.