While the Leinster Championship may lag behind Munster in terms of status, it’s still a reasonably healthy state of affairs that each of the six teams have something to play for this Sunday.
The final is likely to be contested by Kilkenny and Galway (currently seven points each), though both need to avoid defeat against Wexford and Dublin respectively to make absolutely sure.
A win for Dublin, who sit on five points, over Galway at Croke Park and Kilkenny avoiding defeat in Wexford would be enough to see Micheal Donoghue’s side make the final at his native county’s expense, as they would leapfrog the Tribesmen by virtue of the head-to-head record.
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There’s far more intrigue at the bottom of the table, however, with Wexford, Westmeath (two points each) and Antrim (one point) all in danger of relegation.
Whoever wins the Westmeath-Antrim tie in Mullingar will be safe. A draw would do Westmeath but would be useless for Antrim given that they lag well behind Wexford on scoring difference. So, realistically, anything less than a victory for the Saffrons and they will suffer another immediate relegation after promotion last season.
A win for Wexford over Kilkenny would save them though a draw would be good enough too given the scoring differential between themselves and Antrim, which currently stands at 34 points.
But another defeat for Wexford coupled with an Antrim win in Mullingar would see Darragh Egan’s side drop to the Joe McDonagh Cup for 2024.
It’s much more cut and dried in Munster, with Clare already assured of a spot in the provincial final and, at the other end of the table, Waterford eliminated from the Championship despite still having a game to play against Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday.
Tipperary (four points) are in pole position to join Clare in the final - if they beat Waterford, events at the TUS Gaelic Grounds between Limerick and Cork (three points each) will be irrelevant from their point of view.
But if they were to be held to a draw, Cork would overtake them with a win over Limerick, who would need a five-point victory themselves to be assured of a Munster final spot.
Even in the event of a calamitous defeat for Tipp, only a draw in the other tie could see them knocked out of the Championship altogether.
But all eyes will be on Limerick-Cork, which is effectively winner-takes-all, though a Munster final spot is most likely off the table for both given that Tipp will be expected to take care of Waterford.
However, third place in the group and an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final spot is not to be sneezed at either. Limerick must win to earn that; a draw would suffice for Cork.
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