All-Ireland hurling championship match predictions and betting tips: Limerick set to avenge Munster defeat against Cork in style

Best bets

Kilkenny vs Clare - Draw
1pt 8-1 Paddy Power

Either team to win by 1 to 4 or draw
2pts 5-6 Paddy Power

Mark Rodgers anytime goalscorer
1pt 10-3 BoyleSports

Limerick -4
3pts Evens Paddy Power

Limerick -6
2pts 6-4 Paddy Power

All-Ireland Hurling Championship predictions

Kilkenny vs Clare

3pm Saturday, RTE

Kilkenny have something of a psychological edge over Clare having defeated them in the last two All-Ireland semi finals and it would prove an enormous blow to this generation of Clare hurlers if they were to fall at this hurdle again to the same opponents.

Clare had a disastrous day in 2022 when they were completely outplayed by the Cats, suffering a 12-point loss, but last year's encounter was much closer with three points separating the sides at the final whistle. 

Brian Lohan elected to deploy a sweeper in defence from the start on that occasion and it backfired spectacularly as they went in at half-time trailing by five points after a dysfunctional display. When they reverted to more conventional tactics, they began to look a much more potent threat and were desperately unfortunate not to snatch a draw late on as Eoin Murphy pulled off an astonishing save from Peter Duggan moments before the final whistle.

Apart from an underwhelming effort against Limerick in the Munster final, Clare have been motoring along nicely this season. They outplayed Limerick for large parts of their opening game before suffering a collapse in the final quarter after conceding goals at crucial junctures but gathered themselves to get wins over Cork, Waterford and Tipperary, while they swatted Wexford away with the minimum of fuss a fortnight ago.

In Shane O'Donnell, Tony Kelly and Mark Rodgers, they have some of the best attacking talent in the country and if anyone can dethrone Limerick, it's probably them given how close their encounters have been in recent years but that doesn't suggest they should be favourites against Kilkenny.

Clare are slight underdogs, and rightly so, given Kilkenny have had the edge in recent years and arrive in an excellent place after destroying Dublin in the Leinster final.

Although Dublin put in an absolutely wretched display, Kilkenny were still impressive and Adrian Mullen had a starring role on his first outing back from injury. The deep positions he takes up are difficult to counter and he could enjoy plenty of freedom again as it's hard to imagine Clare will allow their half-back line to be bent out of shape by detailing one of them to follow him.

John Donnelly and TJ Reid are in rude scoring form, while Clare have been invariably dependent on Shane O'Donnell for scores this season but he will have his hands full with Huw Lawlor paying him close attention.

This is a tough game to call and the bookies have Kilkenny as marginal favourites, which seems spot on. A draw is worth chancing as these two are hard to split and if either team wins it is set to be close at Croke Park. Given O'Donnell will be under close supervision, other Clare forwards will need to carry the burden and Mark Rodgers has been getting into excellent positions of late so should find some chances coming his way.

Limerick vs Cork

4pm Sunday, RTE

Cork gained a seismic victory over Limerick in the penultimate round of the Munster championship which has fuelled hope they can repeat the trick against John Kiely's five-in-a-row chasing side.

They were quick out of the blocks on that occasion with their long puck-outs wreaking havoc in the Limerick defence and they went in eight points ahead at half-time. Prior to that game, slow starts had become a feature of Limerick's game given that was the fifth time in six contests that they went in behind at the interval.

Typically they would then put in a huge spurt in the third quarter and overwhelm the opposition and they went about doing exactly that against Cork but the Rebels were able to stem the tide, which was the most impressive aspect of the win, and snatch it at the death.

John Kiely seems to have made a point of banishing the slow starts since given they went in at half-time five points up against Waterford and dominated the first half of the Munster final against Clare although a late goal from Peter Duggan meant the sides went in level.

Cork played okay when getting through their preliminary round against an inferior Offaly side but their display against Dublin two weeks ago has justifiably set off a few alarm bells.

They eventually limped over the line by five points but Dublin were incredibly wasteful in front of goal and should have pushed them closer. It's hard to gain much encouragement from that performance as it was a poor contest and Cork looked particularly blunt in attack.

Full-forward Alan Connolly was in prolific form in the Munster championship but hasn't registered a shot in his last two outings, while the previously in-form Brian Hayes has largely struggled also. There were reports that there was a bug in Cork's camp for both games which may have been a mitigating factor for two lackluster efforts but it is still hardly an ideal preparation for stepping into the lion's den against Limerick.

Beating this Limerick side once takes a monumental effort, but beating them twice in one season is a gargantuan task. It will likely prove a step too far for Cork and Limerick could really cut loose if they gain the initiative early which they have been doing in their recent games.

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