SATURDAY 22 April
Leinster SHC
Antrim v Dublin, Corrigan Park, 2pm
Galway v Wexford, Pearse Stadium, 4.30pm
Kilkenny v Westmeath, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6pm
Joe McDonagh Cup
Kildare v Kerry, Hawkfield
Offaly v Down, Tullamore
Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park
Christy Ring Cup
Mayo v Tyrone, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, 3pm
Nicky Rackard Cup
Armagh v Donegal, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 2pm
Louth v Roscommon, Protection & Prosperity Louth GAA Training Centre, 3pm
Fermanagh v Wicklow, Ederney, 3pm
Lory Meagher Cup
Leitrim v Lancashire, Drumshanbo, 1pm
Cavan v Monaghan, Kingspan Breffni, 4.15pm
Sunday 23 April
Munster SHC
Waterford v Limerick, FBD Semple Stadium, 2pm
Clare v Tipperary, Ennis, 2pm
Christy Ring Cup
London v Meath, Ruislip, 1pm
Derry v Sligo, Owenbeg, 3pm
Lory Meagher Cup
Longford v Warwickshire, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 2pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app on both Saturday and Sunday. Highlights also available across the weekend.
RADIO
Live commentary and updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport. Also live updates on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an tSathairn and Spórt an Lae.
TV
Galway v Wexford is live on GAAGO from 3.45pm on Saturday. The Sunday Game live from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player will be Waterford v Limerick. Clare v Tipperary live on GAAGO from 3.15pm on Sunday.
Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, from 9.30pm. Plus all Saturday's action available on all new The Saturday Game, from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
WEATHER
Saturday: Mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of showery rain, some of which may turn heavy. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees in very light and variable breezes.
Sunday: Some bright spells but there will be a good deal of cloud. Showers may turn heavy and prolonged in the northeast later in the day. Maximum temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees, coolest in the north in moderate northwest winds.
For more go to met.ie.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The real thing starts here
After the phoney war that was this year's Allianz League, the real action gets going this weekend with the start of the Leinster and Munster championships.
Kilkenny begin the defence of their provincial title tomorrow at home to Westmeath. The gap between the sides was 16 points last year, and it's hard to see it being much more competitive than that this time around.
The game will mark Kilkenny's first championship without Brian Cody at the helm since 1998 as the Derek Lyng era begins. The Cats have been building nicely over the last few years although they did get a reminder of just how strong Limerick are in the league final earlier this month.
Ultimately, any managerial reign in the Marble City is measured by Liam MacCarthy Cups - a discussion for another day.
We need your consent to load this Instagram contentWe use Instagram to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The Lake County come into the game after securing their Division 1 status in the league with a victory over Laois last month. They gave a good account of themselves last year, beating the O'Moore men and battling to a credible draw against Wexford.
While the best of Leinster has been able to compete with the best of Munster over the last half decade - including the Treaty's most recent championship defeat in 2019 - Wexford and Dublin have been noticeably off the pace in that time.
The duo will meet in week three in a match which could go on to define their respective seasons, if recent history is to repeat itself.
Before that though Wexford certainly have the tougher opener away to Galway, but they have been able to rattle the Tribesmen in the last few years even if they ultimately have not got over the line.
Last five meetings:
2022 Leinster round robin: Galway 1-19 Wexford 1-19
2020 Leinster QF: Galway 1-27 Wexford 0-17
2019 Leinster round robin: Galway 0-16 Wexford 0-16
2018 Leinster round robin: Galway 1-23 Wexford 0-17
2017 Leinster final: Galway 0-29 Wexford 1-17
The sides drew at Wexford Park last year, while neither set the world alight in the league this spring, with Galway winning the meeting of the sides in week one. The 1996 All-Ireland semi-final was the last time the Slaneysiders enjoyed success over the westerners.
The hosts are certain to be without 2017 All-Ireland winning captain David Burke, who injured his ACL last month. He confirmed to RTÉ Sport this week that he will remain part of the panel in some capacity this summer.
The visitors head into the game with both Matthew O'Hanlon and Damien Reck in a race against time to be fully fit.
Antrim's return to the Leinster Championship, after winning the Joe McDonagh Cup last year, sees them welcome Dublin to Corrigan Park. Coincidentally they also played the Dubs in their last game in the province two years, when they were well beaten by 18 points at Navan.
The Saffrons last beat Dublin when Anthony Daly was in charge in the capital back in 2010, but their most recent meeting came in this year's league, when the Blues emerged three-point winners at Parnell Park.
This game will mark Micheál Donoghue's first in charge of the Metropolitans, but he does so without the likes of Liam Rushe, Cian O'Callaghan and former captain Chris Crummey, who have all confirmed they aren't available for selection this season.
Then on Sunday, it's Munster's turn. The province that has produced six of the last seven All-Ireland winners, with its defending champions Limerick taking on Waterford in the opener.
The Treaty men can join an elite group of the Cork team of the 1940s, and the Kilkenny team of the late 2000, if they can claim a fourth consecutive Liam MacCarthy Cup in July.
Before that they need to get out of their province, and they will be aiming for a fifth Munster on the spin for the first time in their history. Cork have done it three times, but none of the other counties down south have managed it yet.
There's plenty to do for the league champions before that, starting with the second coming of Davy Fitzgerald to Waterford at Semple Stadium on Sunday.
The Déise will be determined to improve on their record in the Munster round-robin. It's been much referenced at this stage, but one win in 12 games since the format was introduced is not going to win any trophies.
It sits in stark contrast to their form in the seasons either side, when Munster was straight knockout; All-Ireland finalists in 2017 and 2020, and All-Ireland semi-finalists in 2021.
Fitzgerald's arrival in neighbouring Wexford in 2017 brought a noticeable bump in the fortunes of the Slaneysiders, as they landed a first Leinster title in 15 years, while he also brought Waterford to a first All-Ireland final in 45 years back in 2008.
It remains to be seen what impact Fitzgerald will have, but RTÉ GAA analyst Shane Dowling doesn't see any shock at Thurles on Sunday.
"He needs to come up with something," Dowling told the RTÉ GAA Podcast this week.
"He needs to bring something to the table totally different - and I think he's going to do that. If Limerick were playing Tipperary, Clare, Cork, anybody else, I would think Limerick were just going to win - and I still do think they're going to win - but I'm intrigued."
Waterford are likely to have to do it all without Conor Prunty and the talismanic Austin Gleeson, who are both short of fitness.
The other game on Sunday will see Clare host Tipperary at Ennis.
The Banner have only beaten the Premier three times in this century, but two of those victories have come in the last five years.
Brian Lohan is into year four of his reign and had some welcome news this week Shane O'Donnell will be good to go for the game.
Last five meetings:
2022 Munster round robin: Clare 3-21 Tipperary 2-16
2021 Munster SF: Tipperary 3-23 Clare 2-22
2019 Munster round robin: Tipperary 3-21 Clare 0-17
2018 Munster round robin: Clare 1-23 Tipperary 1-21
2017 All-Ireland QF: Tipperary 0-28 Clare 3-16
Liam Cahill is another manager is the first year of a reign, although he was involved in this competition last year as he managed Waterford.
His predecessor Colm Bonnar was very unlucky with injuries as Tipp exited the championship with a whimper - four defeats from four games.
Their spring form suggests that they're regaining their mojo as the last county to win an All-Ireland before Limerick won five games on the bounce, before losing out to the eventual winners in the semis.
There's also action in the Joe McDonagh Cup this weekend.
It's top against bottom at Tullamore on Saturday, as Offaly look to maintain their 100% record against a Down team who are yet to pick up a point. At the same time second-placed Carlow take on Laois, while the first game of the day sees Kerry make the trip to Hakwfield to face a Kildare side who are in trouble.
In the Christy Ring Cup game week two brings Tyrone to Mayo on Saturday, while Sunday will see London host Meath, and Derry and Sligo clash at Owenbeg.
Nicky Rackard Cup action takes place on Saturday, where Armagh and Donegal - who both won in week one - face each other at the Box-It Athletic Grounds. Wicklow, who also have two points, are away to Fermanagh, while Louth and Roscommon go in search of their first points at Darver.
While the action in the Lory Meagher Cup is also spread over two days, with Leitrim and Lancashire opening the weekend's action at Drumshanbo, before attention turns to Kingspan Breffni for the meeting of Cavan and Monaghan. On Sunday, Longford welcome Warwickshire to Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Watch Waterford v Limerick in the Munster Hurling Championship on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport or listen to live commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast on the RTÉ Radio Player, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts
