{"id":455990,"date":"2026-05-19T03:54:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T03:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/455990\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T03:54:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T03:54:11","slug":"permutations-cork-and-dublin-in-pole-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/455990\/","title":{"rendered":"Permutations: Cork and Dublin in pole position"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final weekend of the provincial hurling round-robins and it’s Leinster, arguably, where things are that bit more interesting.<\/p>\n

Dublin lead the table ahead of the three fixtures, but there are still three potential Leinster final combinations that we could end up with.<\/p>\n

Kilkenny’s summer could be over by 4pm on Sunday, but their fate is very much in their own hands.<\/p>\n

What we are certain of already is that Kildare are relegated and Wexford are playing for pride, while Dublin and Galway are guaranteed a third-placed finish, at worst.<\/p>\n

Although the Lilywhites can catch the Yellowbellies with a win against Offaly, the head-to-head rule means that Keith Rossiter’s men are safe.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Wexford can’t be relegated and can’t finish in the top three as they already trail Kilkenny, who are currently third, by three points.<\/p>\n

Dublin know that a draw would be enough to send them back to the Leinster final for the first time in two years, and the third time this decade.<\/p>\n

\"Leinster<\/p>\n

While players and managers will often dismiss previous games, or winning\/losing runs, that didn’t involve current players, it’s worth noting that Niall \u00d3 Ceallach\u00e1in’s side have plenty of history weighing on their shoulders.<\/p>\n

Dublin’s victory over Kilkenny in the 2013 Leinster Championship was their first one since the middle of the Second World War.<\/p>\n

If they lose, then they need Wexford to do them a favour by beating Galway. If Dublin lose, and Galway and Wexford draw, then we’ll have three teams on seven points and scoring difference would decide things.<\/p>\n

For Galway, a win against Wexford gets them to eight points and a place in the decider. A draw would still be enough if Kilkenny fail to beat Dublin. A defeat could still see them into the final, if the Dubs overcome the Cats.<\/p>\n

If Kilkenny win, they’re into the final but a defeat, coupled with a victory for Offaly over Kildare, and the defending Leinster champions would be finished for 2026. That is the only circumstances in which the Cats finish outside the top three.<\/p>\n

\"29
\nDublin have beaten Kilkenny once in championship since WWII – that was in 2013<\/p>\n

If they were to draw with Dublin, and Wexford were to beat Galway, Kilkenny would still end up third owing to their earlier defeat to the Tribesmen.<\/p>\n

Before the weekend’s action, the Cats have a +30 better scoring difference than Offaly, so a draw for Derek Lyng’s men would all but secure them a top-three place.<\/p>\n

If Galway were to lose to Wexford, and Kilkenny to draw with Dublin, while Offaly were to beat Kildare, all three would end up on six points. As above, this would see scoring difference deciding places between the three.<\/p>\n

Round 5 – Sunday 24 May (all 2pm)
Dublin v Kilkenny, Parnell Park
Kildare v Offaly, Cedral St Conleth’s Park
Wexford v Galway, Chadwick’s Wexford Park<\/p>\n

As in Leinster, we still have three Munster final combinations that we could end up with, but Cork are involved in two of those potential showpiece games.<\/p>\n

Of the five counties competing, two have nothing to play for. Waterford, having played all their matches already, are in fifth place but All-Ireland champions Tipperary – currently in fourth spot – would drop below the D\u00e9ise if they lose to Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds by five points or more.<\/p>\n

\"Munster<\/p>\n

Cork begin the weekend in first place and they know that a draw against Clare will be enough to secure their place in the final.<\/p>\n

If the Rebels lose, they’ll still make the final if Limerick fail to beat Tipp.<\/p>\n

If Clare beat Cork, and Limerick beat Tipperary, then all three would end up on six points with scoring difference deciding the top two.<\/p>\n

Clare or Limerick can make the final, where they would play Cork, with a draw as long as the other team loses. If both counties ended up on five points after drawing, then the Treaty men would go through owing to their better head to head.<\/p>\n

If both Clare and Limerick lose, they’ll end up on four points, so the same head to head rule would send John Kiely’s men to the Munster final.<\/p>\n

Sunday 24 May (both 4pm)
Cork v Clare, SuperValu P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh
Limerick v Tipperary, TUS Gaelic Grounds<\/p>\n

In the Joe McDonagh Cup, Carlow are already into the final ahead of the last round of fixtures, while London have been relegated.<\/p>\n

\"Joe<\/p>\n

Laois will join Carlow in the final if they avoid defeat in Ruislip. The O’Moore men will also make the decider even if they lose as long as only one of Down or Antrim win, owing to their head to head record against them.<\/p>\n

If Laois lose and Down and Antrim win, then all three would both end up on six points with scoring difference deciding places.<\/p>\n

Sunday 24 May (all 1pm)
Antrim v Carlow, Corrigan Park
Down v Westmeath, Ballycran
London v Laois, Ruislip<\/p>\n

Watch a provincial hurling double-header, Dublin v Kilkenny (2pm) and Cork v Clare (4pm), on Sunday from 1.30pm on RT\u00c92 and RT\u00c9 Player. Follow our live blog on RT\u00c9.ie\/sport and RT\u00c9 News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RT\u00c9 Radio 1<\/p>\n

Watch The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RT\u00c92 and RT\u00c9 Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on the RT\u00c9 News app and on rte.ie\/sport<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The final weekend of the provincial hurling round-robins and it’s Leinster, arguably, where things are that bit more…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":455991,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[61,60,112],"class_list":["post-455990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=455990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/455991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=455990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=455990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=455990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}