HOLDERS Limerick will have three home games in the defence of their National Hurling League title in 2024.
In Division 1B, John Kiely’s marvels will have Antrim (February 4), Tipperary (March 9), and Galway on St Patrick’s Day (March 17) as visitors to the Gaelic Grounds.
In between, Limerick are away to Westmeath (February 11) and Dublin (February 24). The latter, a Saturday evening fixture at Croke Park, will be the curtain-raiser to the huge National Football League tie between winners Dublin and Kerry, a repeat of this year’s All-Ireland Championship Final.
Two teams from each of the top tiers will win through to the semi-finals of the pennant competition.
In the opposite group to Limerick (which is 1A) are Clare, Cork, Kilkenny, Offaly, Waterford, and Wexford.
Limerick have won the league on 14 occasions, three of which have been under the watch of Kiely.
The League Final is listed for the weekend of April 7/8, a fortnight ahead of the commencement of the Munster, which in the case of Limerick is against Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis (to be followed by outings at home to Tipperary, away to Cork, and home to Waterford), and Leinster Championships.
Limerick, now under Jimmy Lee, will compete in Division Three of the National Football League next season. Opposition will come from Antrim, Clare, Down, Offaly, Sligo, Westmeath and Wicklow.
In the Munster Championship, Limerick travel to face Cork in the opening round.
There was local compensation for Newcastle West (NCW) – who bowed out at the hands of Clonmel Commercials in the Munster Senior Championship on Sunday – with victory over Feenagh-Kilmeedy (FK), 0-10 to 1-4, in the Junior Football Final at Athea.
FK grabbed an early goal from John O’Gorman, but some timely points from the likes of Stephen Kelly, Brian Hurley, and Joey Healy pushed NCW into a slender 0-6 to 1-2 interval lead.
Scores were a rare commodity in the closing half, but one of those – a class John Whelan effort in the last quarter – was crucial.
In the B decider, Ballylanders overcame Bruree, 2-7 to 1-8, in Ballyagran.
