After a huge day of Division 1 hurling both next week's semi-finals and next year's divisional placings have been confirmed, with a massive weekend of hurling to come next weekend.
Unsurprisingly in a telling sign of the current state of inter-county hurling, next weekend's division one semi-finals will be dominated by Munster sides with Limerick, Clare and Tipperary all set to star.
Division 1 semi-finals:
Limerick v Tipperary
It was Limerick who confirmed their position as top dog in Division 1B this afternoon when they salvaged a draw away to Galway in Pearse Park despite going down to fourteen men early on after a needless red card. They'll face off against Kilkenny, who despite overcoming Waterford today, finished second in Division 1A owing to their loss against Clare last Sunday.
The sides will meet at 16.30 next Saturday the 23rd of March in Supervalu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, with the game set to be shown live on TG4.
Limerick's Shane O'Brien is shown a red card for pulling off the helmet of Galway's Sean Linnane
📺Watch live https://t.co/XbYhQNQZZl
📱Live updates https://t.co/aooMmgwioC pic.twitter.com/aQ27dyPp6M— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 16, 2024
Clare v Tipperary
It was that triumph over Kilkenny last week that propelled Clare into the top spot in 1 A with their one-point win over Offaly today, all be it closer than expected, confirming their spot at the top. They'll play Tipperary who finished second in Div 1 B with their only blemish coming thanks to a one-point loss against Limerick.
Clare and Tipperary will meet a day later than the other pairing in O'Moore Park, Laois at 16.00, with the game also set for live coverage by TG4.
READ ALSO: Limerick Salvage Draw Despite Needless First Half Red Card
Next year's structures:
With the semi-finals set, the picture of what Division 1 hurling will look like next year has also become a lot clearer. While there is still some uncertainty on who will take the newly introduced seventh spot in Group B, Group A's spots and all the current Group B's are now set in stone.
Division 1 Group A
Limerick and Tipperary's success in Group B this year means they'll be promoted up to Group A for next year, as will Group B third place Galway following the addition of a seventh team, leaving the top flight of league hurling looking like this :
Clare, Kilkenny, Cork, Wexford, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway.
Division 1 Group B
However, their promotion will come at the expense of struggling Offaly and Waterford who have both been relegated down to Group B for next year's league, with either Laois or Down also set to join that group. This means 1B will look like this next season:
Waterford, Offaly, Dublin, Westmeath, Antrim, Carlow, Laois/Down.
Today's results:
These placings were confirmed by today's results that saw a nail-biting finish to the season, with drama in Galway and a near-upset in Birr.
It was Limerick who shone against Galway today, despite picking up a red card just twenty-five minutes into the game, John Kiely's men showed just how hard they are to beat, coming back from three behind to salvage a draw in terrible conditions in Salthill.
It finishes 17 points a piece in Salthill as Galway fail to defeat 14-man Limerick
📺Watch live https://t.co/XbYhQNQZZl
📱Live updates https://t.co/aooMmgwioC pic.twitter.com/TTIZcb173G— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 16, 2024
While Clare were 1A's top dogs they very nearly fell against a now-relegated Offaly in Birr where Brian Lohan's men could only manage a one-point win, something that will have alarm bells ringing in the Banner County.
There was less drama in Corrigan Park where Tipperary hammered Antrim 2-21 to 0-12 in a non-contest. The comprehensive performance will instil confidence in Tipperary whose only blemish came after a one-point loss to Limerick.
Finally, in yet another disappointing day out for Davy Fitz's Waterford, they fell to semi-finalists Kilkenny by three points, sealing next year's relegation.
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