LIAM MACCARTHY CUP holders Limerick will take on Cork, the Munster title winners from the last two years, in their opening tie in the 2019 provincial senior hurling championship.

The schedule of round-robin games have been released with John Kiely’s Limerick team absent from the Round 1 action and instead set to face Cork in the Gaelic Grounds in Round 2.

Cork will open their campaign at home to Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on the weekend of 12 May with Waterford facing Clare in the same round. Due to likely reconstruction works at Walsh Park, Waterford will have to find an alternative venue for their ‘home games’ next summer.

An earlier start to this year’s format and the introduction of a break weekend means no team will have to play four weekends in a row next year. Both Tipperary and Waterford, who were knocked out of the round-robin this year, had to face the punishing schedule of playing for four consecutive weekends this season.

The weekend timing of the Round 3 fixtures have still to be finalised, along with the dates and times for each game.

Here’s the full fixture list with the first named team having home advantage.

2019 Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Round 1 – weekend 12 May
Cork v Tipperary
Waterford v Clare

Round 2 – weekend 19 May
Limerick v Cork
Tipperary v Waterford

Round 3 – weekend 26 May/2 June
Waterford v Limerick
Clare v Tipperary

Round 4 – weekend 9 June
Limerick v Clare
Cork v Waterford

Round 5 – weekend 16 June
Clare v Cork
Tipperary v Limerick

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