Tomorrow

National Hurling League (3.30 except where stated)

Division One A

Clare v Galway, Cusack Park, 3.45

This will decide who accompanies Limerick into the semi-final. Odds favour Clare who need only a draw or even a narrow (no more than three-point) defeat to advance. Nonetheless, the All-Ireland champions have a less pressing agenda in that Ger Loughnane's first 15 or 18 is not that hard to guess and has mostly been assembled for tomorrow with only the return flight of the Sparrow O'Loughlin awaited.

Galway, on the other hand, may be facing their last competitive outing before the All-Ireland quarter-final in around four months' time. In the absence of a proven, settled team, the championship line-out is prone to variation and could differ considerably from tomorrow's selection. This isn't to suggest that there is a complete imbalance of motivation because unlike last year, Clare have no championship fixture until late June when they face the winners of Cork-Limerick, two counties they could conceivably meet in the League semi-final and final.

With two months in hand, Clare may find progression in the League as supportable a burden as they did three years ago when comprehensive defeat by Kilkenny in the final proved a misleading prelude to the team's first Munster and All-Ireland titles in generations. Galway have hurled quite well since the opening-day defeat by Dublin and were reportedly unlucky to lose to table-toppers Limerick. What's required of them here, however, may be a bit too much.

Limerick v Antrim, Gaelic Grounds, 2.0

An apparently open-and-shut case, with Limerick already in the semi-finals and Antrim almost certainly facing a relegation play-off - they must take something out of this to leapfrog the Dublin-Offaly losers.

Admittedly Sean McGuinness, when in charge of Down, brought a team to Kilkenny and beat them into a relegation spot, but his Antrim side is more of a work-in-progress and Limerick have established plenty of competition for places and should complete the regulation campaign with a 100 per cent record.

Dublin v Offaly, Parnell Park

Jamesie Brennan reappears for the home side whose besetting vice has been an awful wastefulness up front. The early promise of Dublin's campaign has wilted but Offaly's has yet to get off the ground. The long delay in re-assembling the full team after Birr's success hasn't helped and there'll be no play-offs to fine-tune the first 15.

The return of old reliables, Joe Errity and Daithi Regan and the repositioning of Kevin Martin are seasonal reminders that summer is near but also raises questions about the likely composition of the championship team. Where will Hubert Rigney play and who will lose out? Is John Ryan the answer to a maiden's prayer at full forward? Whither Joe Dooley, etc? Tomorrow mightn't yield all those answers for Babs Keating but it should yield two points.

Division One B

Cork v Laois, Fermoy

Cork's developing momentum brings them to within a point of an unbeaten record in the division. The one-point defeat of Tipperary last week was heartening but achieved against an under-strength opposition which nonetheless raised a few questions about Jimmy Barry Murphy's men.

For the second week running, Mark Landers spoiled his performance by conceding a goal but obviously he retains the faith of the selectors who give trial runs to a couple of players but leave the defence intact. Kieran Morrison and Sean O'Farrell in the corners give the full forward line a statuesque look on either side of Alan Browne. Austin Walsh gets a go at re-forming his under-21 midfield partnership with Pat Ryan in the absence of Mick Daly.

Laois were much cheered by their win in Kilkenny, although acknowledging the poor form of the hosts. If a Laois win today materially alters things in the division, there'll be some dark glances thrown at Cork's experimental selection but Cork have enough momentum to avoid that.

Waterford v Kilkenny, Walsh Park

The culmination of a good campaign by Gerald McCarthy's team sees them well placed to make the semi-finals. With the exception of a poor display against Cork, they are unbeaten and have acquitted themselves well with good wins in Laois and Tipperary.

Kilkenny are only finding their bearings since the return of DJ Carey but have to cope with the relegation threat posed by finishing bottom of the table. With things coming together so slowly, Kilkenny can't be confident about this match, whereas the hosts's self-esteem was bolstered last week by a gutsy draw against Wexford, despite the fact that they should have won. Waterford should progress.

Wexford v Tipperary, Enniscorthy

A match full of possibilities for the winners, who would capitalise on any slip-up by Waterford. Given Wexford's lengthy injury list, Tipperary's selection is more interesting in relation to options exercised. Paul Shelley's return to the full-back role appears to rule out Noel Keane who had a hard time in Cork last week and Conor Gleeson who is now named at centre back with Colm Bonnar moving into midfield. Paul Kelly has been playing very well on the wing of the attack and has clear championship prospects.

For Wexford manager Rory Kinsella the desire to reach the semi-finals intensifies as doubts remain over long-term injury victims Liam Dunne and Gary Laffan and how exactly to replace them. There has been some consolation in the maturing of Paul Codd in attack and the continuing excellence of Rory McCarthy, but Tipperary look better placed for the points here.