The final round of matches take place in the Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships this weekend.
There are spots in the finals and the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals up for grabs, while in Leinster, relegation looms for some.
2023 Munster Hurling Championship permutations
Sunday, May 28, 4pm:
Limerick vs Cork (Gaelic Grounds)
Tipperary vs Waterford (Semple Stadium)
Who can reach the Munster final: Clare (already qualified) and one of Tipperary, Cork and Limerick
Who can be relegated: No one as two Leinster teams, Carlow and Offaly, have reached the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
Munster Hurling Championship tiebreakers:
In the event of teams finishing on equal points in the group, the tie shall be decided by the following means and in the order specified below:
(i) Where two teams only are involved – the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the group
(ii) Score difference – subtracting the total Scores against from the total Scores for
(iii) Highest Total Score For
(iv) Highest Total Goals For
(v) A Play-Off.
The #MunsterSHC Table after Round 4
Clare 2-22 v 3-18 Cork
Tipperary 0-25 v 0-25 Limerick#gaa #hurling #gaaleaguetables pic.twitter.com/KvJKrL3x31— GAA League Tables (@GAALeagueTables) May 21, 2023
The third-placed team in the Munster Hurling Championship will play the losers of the Joe McDonagh Cup final in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.
What happens if...
Limerick win and Tipperary win: Limerick go through to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Tipperary go through to the Munster final where they will play Clare. Cork are eliminated.
Limerick win and Waterford win: Limerick go through to the Munster final where they will play Clare. Tipperary finish third and go through to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Cork are eliminated.
Limerick win and Tipperary/Waterford draw: Both Limerick and Tipperary will finish on five points. Which of them finishes second and third will be determined by score difference. Cork are eliminated.
Limerick/Cork draw and Tipperary win: Cork advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Tipperary play Clare in the Munster final.
21 May 2023; Tipperary manager Liam Cahill and Limerick manager John Kiely after the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 4 match between Tipperary and Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Limerick/Cork draw and Waterford win: Cork play Clare in the Munster final. Score difference will determine which of Limerick and Tipperary advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Cork win and Tipperary win: Cork go through to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Tipperary will play Clare in the Munster final. Limerick are eliminated.
Cork win and Waterford win: Cork go through to the Munster final to play Clare. Tipperary advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Limerick are eliminated.
Cork win and Tipperary/Waterford draw: Cork play Clare in the Munster final (on score difference ahead of Tipperary) while Tipperary advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Limerick/Cork draw and Tipperary/Waterford draw: Cork go into the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Tipperary play Clare in the Munster final.
2023 Leinster championship permutations
Sunday, May 28, 2pm
Westmeath vs Antrim (Cusack Park)
Dublin vs Galway (Croke Park)
Wexford vs Kilkenny (Wexford Park)
Who can reach the Leinster final: Dublin, Galway and Kilkenny.
Who can be relegated: Antrim, Westmeath and Wexford
Leinster Hurling Championship tiebreakers:
In the event of teams finishing on equal points in the Group, the tie shall be decided by the following means and in the
order specified below.
(i) Where two Teams only are involved – the outcome of the meeting of the two Teams in the previous game in the competition.
(ii) Score Difference from the games in which only the teams involved, (teams tied on points), have played each other. (Subtracting the total Scores Against from total Scores For)
(iii) Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (ii)
(iv) Highest Total Goals For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (ii)
(v) A Play-Off
The #LeinsterSHC Table after Round 4
Kilkenny 0-27 v 0-21 Dublin
Galway 5-29 v 1-22 Antrim
Wexford 2-22 v 4-18 Westmeath#gaa #hurling #gaaleaguetables pic.twitter.com/PByQdJOAYd— GAA League Tables (@GAALeagueTables) May 21, 2023
The third-placed team in the Leinster Hurling Championship will play the winners of the Joe McDonagh Cup final in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.
What could happen...
A draw or victory for Galway in their clash with Dublin, and the same for Kilkenny in their game against Wexford, would mean that the two sides meet in the decider for the eighth time. In that case, Dublin would finish third and advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Dublin could reach the final if they defeat Galway, meaning that both sides would finish on seven points, but Micheál Donoghue's team would leapfrog Galway on the head-to-head rule. In that case, Galway would play in the preliminary quarter-final.
21 May 2023; Joseph Boyle of Westmeath celebrates after team-mate Niall Mitchell scored their side's fourth goal during the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 4 match between Wexford and Westmeath at Chadwicks Wexford Park in Wexford. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
If Dublin beat Galway and Wexford beat Kilkenny, then Dublin, Galway and Kilkenny would all finish on seven points. The top three would then be decided on points difference. The tiebreaker in this scenario differs to the Munster one. In Leinster, when more than two teams are tied on equal points, points difference is calculated based only on the games in which those sides played each other. This is an alteration which was introduced this season.
At the other end of the table, one of Antrim, Westmeath or Wexford will be relegated to the Joe McDonagh Cup. A victory or draw for Wexford against Kilkenny would secure their place in the Leinster Championship for next season. In that scenario, a draw or win for Westmeath at home to Antrim would ensure they stay up and that the Ulster side are relegated. Should Wexford lose to Kilkenny, and Antrim draw with Westmeath, Wexford would finish ahead of Antrim on the head-to-head rule. Wexford beat Antrim earlier in the competition.
If Antrim defeat Westmeath, they they would stay up and, as Westmeath defeated Wexford last weekend, Wexford would finish bottom on the head-to-head rule and be relegated.
Westmeath would be relegated if they lose to Antrim and Wexford pick up at least a point against Kilkenny.
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