Today’s Previews
COMPILED BY PHILIP LANIGAN & JACKIE CAHILL
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Group A
Galway v Cork
Pearse Stadium, 2pm (TG4 deferred)
Robbie O’Flynn’s ankle dislocation was the one thing that dampened Cork’s mood after the gutsy comeback win at Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Limerick.
The Rebels won’t get away a second time with the wastefulness up front and loose defending that saw them trail by double scores at half-time,
0-16 to 0-8. Not against a team that pulled away to win comfortably in Wexford with Conor Whelan to the fore in a deeper role.
Verdict: Galway
Westmeath v Wexford TEG Cusack Park, 2pm
Conceding 4-27 away to Clare amounted to a chastening opening-day result for Westmeath but they have proven themselves a much tougher nut to crack in Mullingar. Wexford know that only too well after last year’s Leinster round robin when a draw threatened to derail their whole campaign. The Model County also need to bounce back here.
Verdict: Wexford
DIVISION 1
Group B
Kilkenny v Tipperary
UPMC Nowlan Park, 1.30pm (TG4)
Derek Lyng spent much of his career bouncing off Tipperary and has the opportunity to mark his first home League game in charge of Kilkenny with the supporters’ favourite scalp. Fitzgibbon Cup commitments and the slow assimilation of the Ballyhale Shamrocks’ contingent make that a tougher task, especially with the way Liam Cahill seems to have quickly reorganised and reenergised Tipp, with Michael Breen and Brian O’Mara making up the central spine of the defence. Verdict: Tipperary
Dublin v Antrim Parnell Park, 3.30pm (TG4)
Dublin have needed to add a killer goalscoring threat to their arsenal, and the manner in which Cian O’Sullivan took his two goals against Waterford was hugely encouraging in that respect. Cian Boland ,too, was back motoring but Antrim matched Kilkenny in a lot of aspects for three quarters of their opening fixture and will also have targeted this one.
Verdict: Dublin
DIVISION 2A
Kerry v Carlow
Austin Stack Park, 2pm
The manner in which Kildare took Carlow apart last weekend suggests they are a coming force in Leinster, and Kerry were comfortable, too, in cruising past Derry, with Padraig Boyle’s shooting a feature.
Verdict: Kerry A double-scores beating by Kerry at home (2-22 to 0-14) suggests this could be a chastening campaign for newly-promoted Derry.
Verdict: Offaly
Kildare v Down
Hawkfield, 2.30pm (BBC iPlayer)
With Naas a competitive force at Leinster senior club championship level, there was further evidence in the comprehensive win over Carlow that Kildare have the raw materials to push on to a higher division.
Verdict: Kildare
DIVISION 2B London v Donegal Ruislip, 1pm
Some of the best-laid travel plans have come a cropper at Ruislip – London to bounce back.
Verdict: London
Wicklow v Tyrone Aughrim, 2pm
After the emotion of the first-round win over London when Damien Casey was in hearts and minds, a tricky away test for Tyrone.
Verdict: Wicklow
Sligo v Meath Markievicz Park, 2pm
No doubt Meath GAA’s social media updates will be carefully scrutinised today. Manager Seoirse Bulfin was rightly upbeat after his team coped with a red card to put 2-24 on Wicklow in the first round, with Eamon O Donnchadha and Podge O’Hanrahan leading the way up front from play and placed balls, respectively.
Verdict: Meath
DIVISION 3A
Fermanagh v Mayo Ederney, 2pm Roscommon v Louth Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
LADIES FOOTBALL
LIDL NFL DIVISION 4B
Kilkenny v Derry; MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore, 2pm
Kilkenny are back in the league after a three-year absence – and naturally finding the going tough.
The Cats are attempting to find their feet and rebuild at the same time, and they’ve fallen to big defeats against Limerick and Leitrim in their opening two games.
Sunday’s visitors to Dunmore are Derry – and they’re also without a point in the league.
The Oak Leafers have tasted defeat against Leitrim and Wicklow, and this one could be a tight affair.
Wicklow v Limerick; Baltinglass, 2pm
These two teams boast 100 per cent records ahead of today’s tie.
Limerick, beaten Division 4 finalists last year, will fancy their chances of getting back to another decider but they are in a competitive five-team pool.
Leitrim lead the way and now it’s over to Wicklow and Limerick to keep pace, as a win for either side will bring them level on points with the westerners. Wicklow had a comfortable victory over Derry in the opening round, as Limerick overcame Kilkenny in their first fixture.