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All-Ireland Hurling Final Preview

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Your home for the latest news, views and analysis on all things hurling.

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>STARLET: Cork U20 ace Barry Walsh nails the Rebels' first goal despite the efforts of Offaly's Daniel Bourke in Saturday's Allianz HL Division 1A tie at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile</p>

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Cork senior Barry Walsh starts as Cork U20s named for Munster opener against Tipp

Tipperary play Cork at Semple Stadium on Wednesday evening while Waterford face Clare in Sixmilebridge in the opening round of the Munster U20 Hurling Championship

<p>IN DEMAND: Tickets for the league finals double header at Gaelic Grounds will be sold out quickly. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile</p>

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Demand outstrips supply as League final double header at Gaelic Grounds set to be sell out

<p>Michael Lyster next to the Liam MacCarthy Cupahead of the 2017 All-Ireland final between Galway and Waterford. File picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile</p>

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'If you were sweating, he was sweating with you': Anthony Daly pays tribute to Michael Lyster

SFogarty Forum: GAA and RTÉ were partners but are now competitors

Cork v Tipperary - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

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Cork's Diarmuid Healy out for at least five more weeks

2017 GAA Provincial Senior Championship Draws

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Funeral details confirmed for former Sunday Game presenter Michael Lyster

Conor Donohoe signs an autograph for a fan after the game 21/3/2026

S Anthony Daly: Dublin know exactly where they are going and Galway are really onto something

Beating Limerick hinted at the potential in this Dublin group. And this spring has been all about building on that progress.

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Cork v Offaly - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Ben O'Connor 'more delighted for Paudie Power than anyone else' after Cork beat Offaly

Cork scored six goals in their final round league game against Offaly but manager Ben O'Connor felt his side could have score "three or four more"

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

TJ Reid celebrates scoring a goal 21/3/2026

S Christy O’Connor: Celebrate the physics-defying magic of McGinnis and Reid

There have been clear hints during this league of players leaning more towards an increased level of individual expressionism.

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Galway v Waterford - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

S Anthony Daly: Where’s the jeopardy? Hurling league finale struggles to match football’s chaos

Final round of hurling league offers limited suspense as Limerick, Cork and Dublin look set to confirm expectations

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Kilkenny v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Cork hurlers make seven changes, none for Rebel footballers in promotion chase

The Cork hurlers face Offaly on Saturday while the footballers travel to face Tyrone on Sunday.

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

St Brigid's v Ballina Stephenites - AIB Connacht GAA Football Senior Club Championship Semi-Final

'Couldn't be fitter': Anthony Cunningham dismisses cancer rumours

Many of Cunningham's former players reached out when they heard the rumour he was sick

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Finals 2026 Launch

Presentation Athenry aim for first Croke Cup title at sixth attempt

Galway schools reaching the Croke Cup final is no longer unusual but winning the decider is still a rarity

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Tiernan Kelly and Brian Howard are shown red card by David Gough 14/3/2026

S Fogarty Forum: Does something have to give in the Kieran McGeeney v David Gough dispute?

No current manager has been as pointed in his criticisms of a current referee as Kieran McGeeney has about David Gough

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Darragh Stakelum signs autographs on hurls for young fans after the game 21/2/2026

S Anthony Daly: If Waterford-Tipp isn't full-blooded, are we wasting our time?

We've seen plenty of the strange stuff to date in this league

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Cian Lynch in action 7/3/2026

S Hurling observations: Limerick's chief creators, bend don't break defending, and Galway's Salthill problem

As Munster counties look towards the championship and challenging Limerick, stopping Cian Lynch and Kyle Hayes will be top of their priority list

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Kieran Shannon: Friday night GAA matches proposal has more precedent than people realise

S Kieran Shannon: Friday night GAA matches proposal has more precedent than people realise

RTÉ head of sport Declan Bennett suggested inter-county GAA matches could be played on a Friday night to facilitate more televised broadcast. The idea was met with opposition but it's not as radical a notion as some believe

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Gowna v Kingscourt Stars - Cavan County Senior Club Football Championship Final

Cavan GAA chairman warns integration timeline is ‘ambitious’

Mark O'Rourke is the latest GAA county chairperson to raise questions about the integration of the association with the LGFA and Camogie Association.

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

John Kiely 7/3/2026

John Kiely happy with Limerick's 'incremental improvements'

Goalkeeper Nickie Quaid made his 171st Limerick appearance against Cork, breaking the record of his father Tommy.

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

Cork SHL: Cunningham fires Barrs to win over Blackrock, Lehane makes Midleton return

Cork SHL: Cunningham fires Barrs to win over Blackrock, Lehane makes Midleton return

Cork U20 Mark O'Brien scored 1-6 from play for Douglas on his senior debut for the club. They had a 20-point victory over a depleted Killeagh side.

Sun, 08 Mar, 2026

Dublin v Down - Allianz Hurling League Division 1B

Six-goal Dublin steamroll Down to keep promotions hopes alive

If Wexford slip up against Clare, then it's game on for Dublin who will hope to clinch promotion back to 1A

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Galway v Kilkenny - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Aaron Niland hits 13 points as Galway hammer abysmal Kilkenny

Micheál Donoghue's continuing transformation of Galway's style was on show against Kilkenny. It was all running and retreating and pure grit.

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Mike Casey and Brian Hayes 7/6/2025

Patrick Horgan: Limerick and Cork have good reasons to go hard and go smart

Cork’s approach will be interesting, because it’ll show how they want to counteract Limerick. If they play three up, for instance, they’ll be trying to isolate the Limerick defenders rather than allowing them to back each other up and overlap

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Tipperary v Galway - Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Ciaran Leen inspires Athenry past St Flannan’s into All-Ireland decider

Athenry led for all but two minutes of the semi-final as the school reached its third decider in four years. They are chasing a first Croke Cup

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Tralee CBS keep All-Ireland double dream alive with hurling semi-final win over Portumna

Tralee CBS keep All-Ireland double dream alive with hurling semi-final win over Portumna

Tralee CBS stunned Portumna CC, with the only goal of the game being scored by Oisín Heaton for the Kerry school

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Waterford v Clare - Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2

Waterford and Tipperary hurling league game postponed due to bereavement

Benny Kiely, the father of Waterford hurler Michael Kiely, has died.

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Alan Connolly with Mikey Butler 1/3/2026

Cork’s confidence is back, and it’s being expressed out loud

Considering the nature of last July's All-Ireland final defeat, it takes remarkable self-belief to be as openly ambitious as Alan Connolly was after Cork's victory in Kilkenny

Wed, 04 Mar, 2026

Ballygunner v Loughrea - AIB GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Final

Ballygunner dominate club hurling team of the year

All-Ireland club hurling champions Ballygunner have eight players on the team while the three nominees for club hurler of the year are all from the Waterford side

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

GAA Annual Congress - Day Two

S Fogarty Forum: Allianz debate is not about where you stop but where you start

You start to believe the silent majority is not okay with it being business as usual.

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Cork v Kilkenny - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

S Anthony Daly: If we’re serious about promoting hurling, why can’t we watch it?

Division 1A relegation fears, league final permutations and broadcast frustration define a pivotal hurling weekend

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Galway v Kilkenny - Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2

S The David Burke interview: Setting the tone for his Tribe

Retired Galway great David Burke admits he had to ask searching questions of himself to apply the leadership he became renowned for with club and county.

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Tipperary v Cork - oneills.com Munster GAA U20 Hurling Championship Final

Cork hurlers make nine changes, two for the footballers

Sunday's game at Nowlan Park between Cork and Kilkenny throws in at 3:15pm

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Austin Gleeson close to making return to Waterford hurlers

Austin Gleeson close to making return to Waterford hurlers

Gleeson withdrew from the set-up before Christmas but continued training away from the group and could be considered for inclusion before Waterford conclude their Division 1A campaign against Tipperary

Thu, 26 Feb, 2026

Shane O'Brien in action 21/2/2026

S GAA buzzwords: go-short Kilkenny, counter-press and the coaching lexicon

Observations: Maurice Brosnan's weekly analytical deep dive in to GAA's tactical nuances, advancements and wrinkles courtesy of the game's smartest thinkers.

Wed, 25 Feb, 2026

Kilkenny v Waterford - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Lyng 'pleased with the attitude' as Kilkenny grind out win against Waterford

Unusually, both side played better against the wind. Waterford manager Peter Queally had a theory as to why

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

Geared Hegarty and Cathal O'Reilly in action 21/2/2026

S Anthony Daly: It's always going to get ugly when Limerick are really dialled in

Bar their lack of goals, Limerick were majestic against Tipperary

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

Conor Doyle and Cathal Mannion 22/2/2026

Galway maintain control throughout but Offaly grit keeps defeat respectable

A Cathal Mannion point and goal a minute into the second half put a dagger in Offaly's hopes

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Cork v Meath - Allianz Football League Division 2

National Football and Hurling Leagues, live minute-by-minute updates

We've got reporters across the country this afternoon who will be weighing in on the action. Already, Cork boosted their hopes of promotion with a two-point victory over Meath.

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Patrick Horgan opens up on All-Ireland heartbreak and life after Cork hurling

Patrick Horgan opens up on All-Ireland heartbreak and life after Cork hurling

The Cork hurling icon talks to Kieran Shannon about All-Ireland heartbreak, retirement, Glen Rovers roots and his new role analysing the modern game with the Irish Examiner

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

2027 top flight is looking ominously like a dry run for the Munster SHC

To give an indication of what a Munster-dominated top flight might look like, 10 of the 21 games would be all-Munster clashes, the same amount of round fixtures in the provincial championship itself

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

Paul Bellew 30/9/2023

Galway GAA 'heartened' by increasing opposition to inter-county season extension

A motion to extend the inter-county season by a fortnight will be debated at GAA Congress

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026

GAA Congress - Day Two

Clontarf motion on inter-county player eligibility tweaked ahead of Congress

The Clontarf motion, which will be discussed at GAA Congress in late February, proposes that players must have played eight games in the previous year to be eligible for inter-county level

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026

Sam O'Farrell is tackled by Brian Hayes 7/2/2026

S Fogarty Forum: It’s official — Cork are the GAA’s cash cows

Were Cork not to reach the last four of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship, it would have a detrimental effect on the GAA’s coffers

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

GAA Annual Report Launch

Pre-season to go but GAA backs 30-week campaign and August All-Ireland

If passed the motion put forward by a work group headed by Páraic Duffy passes, it would likely mean the All-Ireland SFC final will be staged on August 9 next year

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Waterford v Clare - Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2

S Brian Gavin: Leadership void to blame for inconsistent hurling refereeing

Former inter-county hurling referee Brian Gavin is “worried” about the state of hurling at present. Some of the games he finds “unwatchable”

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final

Tipp will want to drown out Cork's boos for Darragh McCarthy in Thurles

Darragh McCarthy’s free-taking process is most certainly unhurried but to consider it time-wasting would be a stretch

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Limerick v Cork - Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final

S Fogarty Forum: Hurling is in denial about hand-pass

An easier fix for hurling might be the hand-pass and policing it to the point of zero tolerance or changing the rule as former Tipperary defender Conor O’Donovan has campaigned

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Cork v Waterford - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final

S Kieran Shannon: Pre-Tactical Age is over, it's time to bring back the maor foirne

What we have at the moment is a farce. To circumvent the current rules and restrictions, some teams employ their team doctors and physios to act as de facto maor foirne

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Aidan O'Connor and Darragh Corcoran 8/2/2026

Casey and O'Donoghue impress against Kilkenny as Limerick pick up first league win

Before the game, John Kiely spoke about Limerick needing a "response" to last week's defeat to Waterford. His team commenced the game like they were going to give just that

Sun, 08 Feb, 2026

Senan Dunford 8/2/2026

Handful impress on Clare bows as Banner canter to victory over Down

Clare beat Down by 29 points in Ennis but what will have pleased Brian Lohan most was impressive first league starts for Senan Dunford, Ross Hayes, Niall O’Farrell and Diarmuid Stritch

Sun, 08 Feb, 2026