We look ahead to Saturday's beginning of the 2018 Liberty Insurance All-Irelans Senior Championship!
Saturday June 9th
Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Championship, Group 1
Galway v Clare, Pearse Stadium, 5pm (L. Dempsey, Kilkenny) – Double-header with Galway v Dublin in Leinster Hurling Championship
Galway enjoyed a strong League campaign this year, reaching the Semi-Finals before losing to eventual champions Kilkenny. They have consistently reached the latter rounds of the Championship over the last number of years and are aiming for a first All-Ireland title since 2013. Clare competed well in this year’s League campaign winning two matches and drawing another as they exited at the group stage. They will look to sharp shooter Chloe Morey to give them a platform for victory in this tough away encounter.
Limerick v Kilkenny, Bruff GAA, 5pm (C. Egan, Cork)
Limerick’s run to the League Semi-Finals will hold them in good stead as they face League Champions Kilkenny in their opening weekend clash. Limerick impressed against the Cats in the League campaign as they inflicted Kilkenny’s only defeat upon them with a five-point victory in the group stage. The Cats will be looking to avenge last year’s Championship final defeat and reclaiming the O’Duffy Cup will be their sole focus for 2018.
Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Championship, Group 2
Cork v Wexford, Páirc Uí Rinn, 5pm (R. Kelly, Kildare)
Reigning All-Ireland champions Cork will be looking to make it back-to-back titles come September and a 28th O’Duffy Cup in total. Having been drawn in the same group for their League campaigns Wexford will be looking for revenge after a two-point defeat in their clash in January. Wexford reached the Quarter-Finals of last year’s Championship before a surprise defeat to Dublin and will be aiming to make up for that disappointment.
Dublin v Offaly, Parnell Park, 5pm, (O. Elliott, Antrim)
Semi-Finalists in 2017 Dublin will be hoping to build on that, however they have struggled thus far in 2018 with just a single win and a draw to their credit in their League campaign. They welcome an Offaly side who avoided relegation to Division 2 of the National League with victory in a relegation play-off against Meath having failed to pick up any points in the group stage. This will be a key match for both sides to give them confidence of reaching the knockout stages.
Tipperary v Meath, The Ragg, 5pm (E. Cassidy, Derry)
Tipp will be targeting a place in the knockout stages having progressed to the Quarter-Finals in 2017 before losing to Galway. A disappointing League campaign however saw them collect only a single victory against bottom of the table Offaly. Last year’s Intermediate champions Meath endured a tough start to life in Senior Camogie as they were ultimately relegated from Division 1 of the National League as they lost the relegation play-off to Offaly.
