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Hello there, you’re looking well.
As you can see above, we’ll have full coverage of today’s four Allianz Hurling League Division 1A and 1B.
We’ll also have on the following:
Allianz Hurling League Division 2A
Derry v Carlow, 12.45pm
Wicklow v London, 1pm
Kerry v Westmeath, 1pm
Allianz Hurling League Division 2B
Mayo v Down, 2pm
Allianz Hurling League Division 3A
Fermanagh v Tyrone, 2pm
Fingal v Roscommon, 2pm
Louth v Monaghan, 2pm
Allianz Hurling League Division 3B
Leitrim v Longford, 2pm
Before today’s action gets under way, why not have a read over last night’s action in the
Cork injuries mount as Joyce faces knee scan and Cronin to miss rest of league
Cork hit 34 points en route to an easy win over Dublin
Waterford recover from slow start to power past Offaly back to the Division 1B summit
Here are the teams for today’s first game:
LIMERICK
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Stephen Walsh (Glenroe)
3. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
4. Seamus Hickey (Murroe Boher)
5. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)
6. Wayne McNamara (Adare)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. James Ryan (Garryspillane)
9. Paul Browne (Bruff)
10. John Fitzgibbon (Adare)
11. Donal O’Grady (Capt) (Granagh Ballingarry)
12. Declan Hannon (Adare)
13. David Reidy (Dromin Athlacca)
14. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh)
15. David Breen (Na Piarsaigh)
WEXFORD
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn/Barntown)
2. Liam Ryan (Rapparees)
3. Matthew O’Hanlon (Capt) (St James)
4. Ciaran Kenny (Buffers Alley)
5. Paudie Foley (Crossabeg/Ballymurn)
6. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
7. Andrew Shore (Parnells – Dublin)
8. David Redmond (Oulart-the-Ballagh)
9. Diarmuid O’Keeffe (St Anne’s)
10. Jack Guiney (Rathnure)
11. Daithi Waters (St Martin’s)
12. Ian Byrne (Ferns St Aidan’s)
13. Paul Morris (Ferns St Aidan’s)
14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna)
15. Podge Doran (Oylegate/Glenbrien)
Just the eight changes to the named Wexford team…
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There’s also an injury for Tom Condon so Conor Allis will come in at wing back for Limerick.
Limerick 0-1 Wexford 0-0:
Shane Dowling and David Breen combine for the first score of the game. Great work from Dowling to field the high ball.
Limerick 0-3 Wexford 0-1:
Liam Og McGovern — who wasn’t even on the match programme — levels things up for the hosts but John Fitzgibbon helps Limerick back into a two point lead.
Limerick 0-3 Wexford 0-1:
Ian Byrne looked sure to raise to first green flag of the afternoon but a wonderful save by Nickie Quaid denies him a goal.
Guiney’s 65 goes well wide.
Wexford 1-2 Limerick 0-4:
Wayne McNamara levels things up after Liam Og Mcgovern brought his tally to 1-1.
Ian Byrne puts Wexford one point up again.
Wexford 1-2 Limerick 0-4:
Some poor shot selection from both sides means they’ve combined for six wides already.
Limerick 1-4 Wexford 1-2:
After five minutes with no score, John Fitzgibbon grabs Limerick’s first goal of the game to put the visitors two points ahead.
Wexford 2-3 Limerick 1-4:
Jack Guiney grabs Wexford’s second goal of the game. End to end stuff this now.
Paul Morris adds a points for the hosts.
Wexford 2-5 Limerick 1-6:
Shane Dowling, Harry Kehoe and Declan Hannon share scores.
Wexford 2-7 Limerick 1-6:
Back to back points stretches Wexford’s lead even further.
Wexford 3-8 Limerick 1-7:
Jack Guiney’s free makes it a five point game before McGovern has his second goal of the game.
Shane Dowling points for Limerick.
Wexford 3-8 Limerick 1-8:
Gap back to six with David Reidy’s first point of the afternoon.
Wexford 3-8 Limerick 1-9:
John Fitzgibbon the pick of the Limerick forwards so far and he adds another point to his tally.
Wexford 3-8 Limerick 2-9:
MASSIVE stroke of luck for Limerick as Shane Dowling’s mis-hit free drops straight into the Wexford net. How’s your luck?
Wexford 3-8 Limerick 2-9:
After a raft of scoring we’d a bit of a lull there for the last five minutes.
Wexford 3-9 Limerick 2-9:
Paul Morris puts a goal between the sides with two minutes of injury time to play.
Wexford 3-9 Limerick 2-9:
And that’s that for the first half. 5-18 combined between the two sides, very exciting stuff.
Doesn’t look to be any changes for Limerick as the start of the second half is delayed by the home side failing to emerge in Innovate Wexford Park.
Those oranges must be great.
Wexford 3-9 Limerick 2-9:
Both teams start the second half by dropping the ball into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Team news for Tipperary:
Don’t forget, we’ll have coverage of the following games form 2pm:
Clare v Tipperary
Galway v Kilkenny
Antrim v Laois (1B)
Wexford 3-10 Limerick 2-9:
It’s taken five minutes but Jack Guiney has the first point of the second half.
GOAL! Wexford 3-10 Limerick 3-9:
Declan Hannon pulls on it in the area and there’s just one between them. Nice work from Shane Dowling in the build up again.
Wexford 3-12 Limerick 3-11:
Jack Guiney makes it a two-point game playing with the breeze in the second half. However, Shane Dowling immediately scores from a free.
Tipperary 0-2 Clare 0-0:
Make that a two point lead for Tipp as Seamus Callanan points a free.
Wexford 3-14 Limerick 3-12:
Jack Guiney puts Wexford back into the narrowest of leads before Podge Doran doubles it.
Kilkenny 0-2 Galway 0-0:
Points from William Phelan and Richie Hogan has given Kilkenny the early advantage in Pearse Stadium.
Wexford 3-15 Limerick 3-13:
Redmond and Dowling swap points with just over ten minutes to play.
Tipperary 0-3 Clare 0-1:
John McGrath stretches Tipp’s lead to three before Clare finally get on the score sheet.
GOAL! Limerick 4-14 Wexford 3-17:
The sides are level! David Breen with the visitors’ fourth goal of the afternoon.
Wexford 3-18 Limerick 4-14 :
Jack Guiney puts Wexford one up with a close range free.
Limerick 4-16 Wexford 3-18:
Seanie O’Brien puts Limerick one point up in stoppage time.
Limerick 4-16 Wexford 3-18:
A one point win for Limerick and Wexford will wonder how they lost that game.
Laois 0-3 Antrim 0-2:
Laois hold a slight advantage in the other Division 1B game.
Clare 0-4 Tipperary 0-4:
Clare having reeled Tipperary back in with points from Shane O’Donnell and Colin Ryan.
The views of all Wexford fans after that game… probably
Tipperary 0-8 Clare 0-7:
John O’Dwyer doing most of the damage for Tipperary so far, they lead by one point with less than ten minutes to the break.
Galway 0-8 Kilkenny 0-6:
Jason Flynn and Dean Higgins are helping the home side take control of proceedings in Galway.
Tipperary 0-10 Clare 0-9:
There’s very little between these two but Tipp just hold the edge with three minutes to half time.
Galway 0-11 Kilkenny 0-6:
Jason Flynn is putting in a masterclass in free-taking as Galway lead Kilkenny by five at Pearse Stadium.
Laois 0-10 Antrim 1-4:
Despite Paul Shiels goal, it’s Laois who are having the best of the first half in this one.
Tipperary 0-12 Clare 0-9:
Michael Breen puts three between the teams in injury time.
Tipperary 0-13 Clare 0-9:
A Callanan point just before the break sends Tipp in with a four point lead.
Here’s a full round up of the latest scores outside the games we’re covering (HT unless stated)
Allianz Hurling League Division 2A
Carlow 1-15 Derry 1-13 (FT)
Westmeath 3-18 Kerry 0-12
Allianz Hurling League Division 2B
Down 1-6 Mayo 0-7
Allianz Hurling League Division 3A
Tyrone 3-5 Fermanagh 1-4
Roscommon 1-14 Fingal 0-6
Louth 1-11 Monaghan 2-6
Allianz Hurling League Division 3B
Longford 1-10 Leitrim 0-5
Tipperary 0-15 Clare 0-10:
Breen starts the second half with score and Tipp’s lead is five points in a game Clare badly need to win.
Galway 0-12 Kilkenny 0-9:
Jason Flynn and Richie Hogan exchange points to start the second period at Pearse Stadium.
GOAL! Tipperary 1-15 Clare 0-12
Noel McGrath looks to have set Tipperary well on their way to a win. Still a long way to go but Clare need scores soon.
Galway 0-14 Kilkenny 0-11:
Galway can’t pull away and Kilkenny can’t seem to close the gap to more than three. Tight game in Pearse Stadium, Walter Walsh and Richie Hogan with the latest scores for the Cats.
Antrim 1-9 Laois 0-12:
A great start to the second half from Antrim has seen them draw level with Laois.
Galway 0-16 Kilkenny 0-12:
After John Power hits the post, another Jason Flynn free makes it a four point game again.
Tipperary 1-17 Clare 0-16:
Maybe Clare are not out of this one just yet. The gap comes down to four points.
Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-14:
It’s a cliché that goals win games but you get the feeling that whoever finds the back of the net first in Galway will come out on top in this one.
Tipperary 1-18 Clare 0-18:
And there are just three between the teams now. Can Clare get something out of this with ten minutes to play?
Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-16:
There’s just two between them again as Canning and Ryan exchange points.
Tipperary 1-18 Clare 0-19:
Conor Ryan — with his fifth score from play — makes it a two point game.
Laois 1-16 Antrim 1-11:
It looks like Laois are going to take this spoils in this one as Ben Conroy puts them five up with seven to play.
GOAL! Tipperary 2-18 Clare 0-20
There goes any hope of a comeback as James Woodlock edges Clare closer to relegation with Tipp’s second maximum of the game.
Galway 0-19 Kilkenny 0-17:
It’s not looking great for Kilkenny, two points in it with two to play at Pearse Stadium.
Big move by Prem rugby. Good to see a sporting authority do what’s good for the game rather than what’s good for their own pockets.
@Dan: Not what’s good for the game. What’s good for the financial viability of the English clubs.
@SomeGuy: surely that’s good for the game .
@SomeGuy: it shows that they’re willing to crack down hard on foul play
@Pan Tyndall: it is.
@Dan: why didn’t they do it 3 years ago? Is there any neutral fan who doesn’t have a smile on their face tonight!
@Dan: not good for English rugby. So many internationals on that team who need to play top flite rugby week in, week out in order to be able to make the starting 15 for England. I suspect we will see many leave for other premiership clubs leaving sarries in serious trouble for years. I don’t blame the players, the board are going down for this one.
@Peter Cavey: essentially it’s what the cap is there for. It ensures internationals are spread out amongst the teams. Sarries should be in serious trouble.
@Dave O Keeffe: Incorrect. The salary cap is there to protect teams from over stretching themselves financially as London Welsh did and as has been common with soccer teams in England like Leeds United. The US major league draft system is where the best players get equally spread out among all the clubs. With academies and catchment areas for English teams alongside recruitment funds, it would be impossible to ensure an even distribution of internationals.
Oh you just love to see it!!
@Jamie Bent: I’d feel most sympathy for the brilliant Exeter fans, a super club and team with very friendly, genuine supporters who’ve been cheated out of at least 2 titles.
@Hakaman: whoever lost in the semi finals against Saracens could have won also, not necessarily Exeter. We will never know.
Not a massive shock really tho? Fully deserved to be relegated, it’s the past relegated teams I’d feel for. Spare a thought for Exeter too, them titles need to be stripped next!
@Now or Never: Was for me!
@Gary Donlan: ah it was coming tbh, but still tis good to see repercussions delivered where legitimate cheating has occured.
Leinster for the Heineken cup in 2021 so
@Jonathan Nolan: and 2022, 2023 hopefully.
@Jonathan Nolan: Hopefully Racing do a job on them tomorrow but even if they don’t, Saracens would likely meet Leinster in Dublin in the QF and that should be that.
@Sean Fahey: we don’t need Saracens to plummet for Leinster to win a European cup. Saracens along with the likes of Toulouse, Clermont and Racing are capable of winning the title. Remember Leinster were only a Ringrose pass and a five minute period of the second half away from winning last season. Small margins, and I thoroughly belief that whoever we play, we can beat them. We are a better team/squad than last year.
@Dan Finlay: Agree 100% Danny Boy, I don’t see Saracens, or anyone for that matter, winning in Dublin.
@Dan Finlay: I’m a Leinster fan too, but sarecens were by far the better team last year. If it hadn’t been the ringrose pass, they’d have found another way to win.
Would have been (may still be) interesting to see this years Leinster team have a crack at them.
@Augustus hoop: it’s a very closely run thing, they were marginally better last season, Leinster were marginally better the season before and I suspect are again this season. As good as the French teams are, Leinster and Saracens are miles ahead of the rest of Europe.
@James Elphick: as long as they don’t spend too much
This Saracens news just keeps filling me with such joy. Long may it continue
Unbelievable it’s taken this long Deal with the issue there should be thrown out of the European cup tomorrow
@TM B: there is no salary cap in European competition? Surely now they go all guns blazing in Europe for rest of year as only thing left they can win.
@Augustus hoop: they qualified by cheating.
@Augustus hoop: this is an argument that fails to recognise 2 things – your seeding is based on your domestic performance (in which they cheated) and because they cheated they are able to sustain a stronger illegal squad. In short – the cheating in their domestic competition DOES have a bearing in Europe.
@Norris Kevin: I get that. But all those points directly impact the other English teams – not the rest of Europe. They are being punished in England and it isn’t possible for another (more deserving English) team to replace them- so still not sure I see the ‘kick them out of Europe’ point.
@Norris Kevin: but they haven’t been stripped of their titles therefore as premiership champions they’re there legitimately
@Augustus hoop: seriously – you just dont get it – it do get there is no salary cap in Europe. Your argument says it doesn’t matter. They cheated – in athletics if you faila dope test in one competition, you are stripped of your titles in all competitions usually. They cheated domestically, and thereby by implication in the European competition as their seeding and squad were based on falsehoods
@Dave O Keeffe: at this stage they should be!
@Norris Kevin: no, I get your point, but it’s over simplified. The doping analogy doesn’t work because that applies to all competitors irrespective of where they are from. But here The french and Irish teams are not subject to the financial restrictions the English clubs are. So kicking an English team out of the European competition for breaking a domestic rule at a time that another English team can’t replace them, doesn’t make sense. Ensuring they never qualify again ahead of another English team, on the other hand, does.
@Augustus hoop: so European competition is based on domestic competition rules. If you cheat domestically by your argument it is ok for europe? All countries have domestic rules competitively so you are ok with cheating domestically and europe should be ok with it?
@Norris Kevin: what are you talking about? Sarries broke no champions cup rules, therefore didn’t cheat in Europe and since they weren’t stripped of titles they still qualify for Europe.
@Dave O Keeffe: lads its pretty basic, Saracens qualification and seeding for every tournament they won was based on their position in the Premiership. If they had followed the rules then they may not have qualified or would have done so with a different seeding, either of which could have drastically changed the outcome to each respective season. Therefore their Champions Cup wins are directly linked to the premiership. Now that’s not to say things would have ended up any different, we’ll never know, but there will forever be an asterisk beside those titles now because another side from the premiership could have qualified in their place or they could have been drawn in a tougher group which could have changed everything.
@Paddy: I’ll try for a last time. All of that is understood and I agree with paddy. But it still is no reason to kick out of Europe this year. They haven’t broken any European rules. English teams should be disgusted with them – the rest of Europe – were beaten by a better team who weren’t breaking the rules of the European country.
@Augustus hoop: They’re not being kicked out of Europe this year. AS far as I understand it, they won’t be eligible next year because they won’t be in the premiership.
@Paddy: yes but the comment I replied to was someone saying they should be kicked out of Europe. Someone took issue with me saying that makes no sense….. that’s what this comment stream is about.
@Augustus hoop: Well I wasn’t replying to your comment initially but of course its ridiculous to think they could be kicked out of Europe mid competition. They’re not being relegated from the premiership until next year.
Scarcens to the Pro 14?
@Kingshu: no thanks. We don’t pro14′s average attendance to plummet!
Have to admire the authorities here especially when compared to the nonsense going on in soccer with man City and psg- refreshing
Next season’s Championship is going to suffer as a result. The other teams won’t stand a chance.
@Máirtín Mac Cormaic: It will be a different Saracens. No way will most of that squad stay.
@Ed: most are jumping ship already
Just got told by a friend that the champions cup has said that they won’t be able to play in europe next season even if they win
@Eoin Murphy: BBC reported on that yesterday. Winners can qualify but they must be playing in either the premiership top14 or pro14 to participate.
So how does that work with the remaining games this season ? What if they get enough points to survive , taking points from other teams with the same players they are getting punished for playing with will surely cause reason for objections from other teams , why not just throw them out now
@Luke O’Mahony: They’ve been docked 70 points!
@Luke O’Mahony: They have been thrown out. They will not play in the Premiership next season regardless of their results for the rest of this season.
@Elton Heffernan: ah I didn’t see the part where they got another 35 point deduction
@Luke O’Mahony: but what if they beat a few teams fight for Hcup places, that in turn miss out, surely that’s unfair?
They way the 8 spots are shaping up for the quarter finals it looks like Leinster will play Saracens in the last 8.
It would be a major sickener if we lost to that gang of cheats
Lol
Mark McCall to replace Van Grann hopefully
@Jack O Dowd: never thought of it that way
With Munster mathematically out, I now really want Saracens to qualify in 8th place so that Leinster can stuff them in the Aviva.
Surely their titles should be stripped for the years they breached? You can’t be allowed to win by cheating.
There’s no salary cap for the Cup so they should go gung ho for it.
The big things is being able to hold on to the big England players as they ain’t gonna be natch fit next season if they play against 2nd tier teams. By all accounts prem teams can’t afford the big shiny lads so they ll need to take a cutback.
This is going to have a real mental toll on players I reckon.
Farrell says he is staying on next year.any idea the main reason behind this.any ideas ?
@Liam Collins: his cast iron contract. He either coins it by staying or coins it by being bought out. He’s quid in regardless
@Liam Collins: not if he wants to go on a Lions tour.
I’m a Leinster fan and I have to be honest, this doesn’t fill me full of joy, happiness and relief. The European cup needs teams like Saracens in the competition, teams that want to give 100% every time they play. The European cup will be worse off without the likes of the Vunipola’s, Farrell, Itoje etc. Yes they cheated, but surely they should have been given until the end of the season to rectify it, you’re jeopardising people’s livelihoods. The big question now is will the wolf pack show the togetherness that brought them success?. Money, competition and England places are at risk. Furthermore who in England could afford to employ them.
@Dan Finlay: What the European Cup needs is not teams like Saracens but a competitive, level playing field where trophies are not bought and paid for.
Without THAT sport will die.
@Dan Finlay: most they’re top players will be playing in Europe next year, just sprinkled through other clubs.
@Philip Exley: agree.
@Philip Exley: they cheated to get into Europe, but they didn’t cheat when they were there. No cap in Europe, so you can only scrutinise how they got there, but not how they succeeded when they got there. But to an extent and with sportsmanship in mind and at the centre I agree with you.
@Dan Finlay: That’s a great point, in recent years the other England teams have been no shows in Europe, quite embarrassingly so at times. Exeter look good this season, but that is long overdue.
I can’t help but feel that the new version of the Heineken Cup has lost some of its appeal. It’s certainly lost some of the romance, but that may just be down to familiarity at this stage. Take all the glee you want in their downfall, if that’s your thing, but the European Cup will be all the poorer for Saracen’s absence.
Can see the Leinster winge-ers crying already when Sarries beat you in the Quarters, that will be gas craic
@JJ: wishful thinking…
They’ll have to keep an eye on Georgey Porgey at the Championship welcome buffet.
Well done Declan Kidney.
European rugby should look at the sarries situation because it can be argued that if they had not broken the rules in the UK and adhered to the salary cap then the team they fielded in Europe would not have existed over the last few years. There is no way they could have kept hold of the likes of Farrell, Itoje, the Vunipolu brothers and the rest of their stars under the salary cap As a consequence it should invalidate their european wins as not only were they cheating domestically but also as a result in Europe. winning 3 times since 2015. Racing, Clermont and Leinster in particular should be calling for an investigation
Slap it right up them!
So what happens if they win the European cup surely you can’t leave out the champions for next year.
@robert o mahony: they can and they will
@robert o mahony: if they win it they are in it next year
@Paddy Cullen: no they won’t because they will not be in a qualifying championship.
@Mike McGann: BBC are reporting that they won’t be in it if they win, however
https://www.epcrugby.com/champions-cup/format/qualification/
Nothing there about having to be in a qualifying championship. European Rugby need to make a statement to clarify the issue
“Let’s be very honest about this before people have sympathy with Saracens, they had two choices: they could either open up their books so that Premiership Rugby could do a forensic audit of exactly what has gone on, or they could take relegation. So it was their choice not to open up their books.”
Tony Rowe Exeter CEO.
Makes you wonder what else they are hiding? I’m sure the revenue commissioners will be interested.