ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUES
KILKENNY v TIPPERARY TOP BILLING IN BUMPER WEEKEND

Yet another big showdown between Kilkenny and Tipperary will be among the highlights of the opening weekend programme in the 2012 Allianz Hurling League, which gets underway on Saturday with a big Munster double-header. Cork v Waterford (Division 1A) in Pairc Ui Rinn and Limerick v Clare (Division 1B) in the Gaelic Grounds will launch the programme on Saturday, followed on Sunday by games in all Divisions.

The clash of Kilkenny and Tipperary in Nowlan Park will be the glamour event of the Sunday list. The counties have provided a series of wonderful contests in recent years. In 2009, it took extra-time to separate them in the Division 1 final (Kilkenny won) and Brian Cody's men were again successful in the 2009 All-Ireland final. Tipperary won both the League clash and All-Ireland final in 2010 but Kilkenny regained ascendancy in 2011 beating their great rivals in the opening round of the League and the All-Ireland final.

Defending Allianz Division 1 champions Dublin travel to play Galway in the first round on Sunday. Dublin enjoyed their best League campaign since 1939 last year when they won the title after a superb campaign where they beat Tipperary, Wexford, Offaly and Cork, drew with Kilkenny and Waterford and lost to Galway in the group games before beating Kilkenny in the final.

This is the 20th year in which Allianz are involved as sponsors of the hurling and football Leagues, both of which have undergone structural changes this season.

Commenting at the launch of the 2012 Allianz Leagues campaign, Brendan Murphy, CEO Allianz said;
"Earlier this year we were delighted to announce that our sponsorship of Allianz Leagues has been extended for another three seasons up to and including 2015 bringing the sponsorship into its 23rd year.
This competition has given us some classic matches over the years and I'm sure that this year will be no different."

The revised hurling format sees the return of Division 1A and 1B, comprised of six counties each. The top three in Division 1A will qualify for the semi-finals, where they will be joined by the winners of 1B.
The Division 1B winners will be promoted to 1A while the losers of a play-off between 5th and 6th in 1A will be relegated.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE 2012 - FIXTURES

DIVISION 1A
Round 1: Feb 25: Cork v Waterford; Feb 26: Kilkenny v Tipperary; Galway v Dublin.
Round 2: Mar 11: Dublin v Cork; Waterford v Kilkenny; Tipperary v Galway.
Round 3: Mar 18: Cork v Galway; Kilkenny v Dublin; Tipperary v Waterford.
Round 4: Mar 24: Dublin v Tipperary; Mar 25: Cork v Kilkenny; Galway v Waterford.
Round 5: Apr 1: Waterford v Dublin; Kilkenny v Galway; Tipperary v Cork.
Relegation play-off: 5th v 6th.
Semi-finals: Apr 22: 1A winners v 1B winners; 2nd 1A v 3rd 1A
Final: May 6: Final

DIVISION 1B
Round 1: Feb 25: Limerick v Clare; Feb 26: Offaly v Laois; Antrim v Wexford.
Round 2: Mar 11: Clare v Antrim; Wexford v Offaly; Laois v Limerick.
Round 3: Mar 18: Laois v Clare; Offaly v Antrim; Wexford v Limerick.
Round 4: Mar 24: Limerick v Offaly; Mar 25: Clare v Wexford; Antrim v Laois.
Round 5: Apr 1: Wexford v Laois; Offaly v Clare; Antrim v Limerick.
Final: Apr 8: 1v2
Relegation play -off: Apr 15: 5th v 6th

DIVISION 2A
Round 1: Feb 26: Carlow v Down; Westmeath v Kerry; Wicklow v Derry.
Round 2: Mar 11: Kerry v Carlow; Down v Wicklow; Derry v Westmeath.
Round 3: Mar 18: Down v Derry; Wicklow v Kerry; Carlow v Westmeath.
Round 4: Mar 24: Westmeath v Wicklow; Mar 25: Kerry v Down; Carlow v Derry.
Round 5: Wicklow v Carlow; Down v Westmeath; Derry v Kerry.
Final: April 15: 1st v 2nd

DIVISION 2B
Round 1: Mar 11: Meath v Kildare; Roscommon v Mayo; London v Armagh.
Round 2: Mar 11: Kildare v London; Mayo v Meath; Armagh v Roscommon.
Round 3: Mar 18: Armagh v Mayo; Roscommon v Kildare; London v Meath.
Round 4: Mar 24: London v Mayo; Mar 25: Kildare v Armagh; Meath v Roscommon.
Round 5: Apr 1: Roscommon v London; Armagh v Meath; Mayo v Kildare.
Final: Apr 15: 1st v 2nd

DIVISION 3A
Round 1: Feb 26: Tyrone v Sligo; Monaghan v Donegal; Louth v Fingal.
Round 2: Mar 11: Sligo v Louth; Fingal v Monaghan; Donegal v Tyrone.
Round 3: Mar 18: Monaghan v Louth; Fingal v Tyrone; Donegal v Sligo.
Round 4: Mar 25: Sligo v Fingal; Tyrone v Monaghan; Louth v Donegal.
Round 5: Fingal v Donegal; Monaghan v Sligo; Louth v Tyrone.

Final: Apr 15: 1st v 2nd
DIVISION 3B
Round 1: Mar 18: Longford v Leitrim; Fermanagh v Warwickshire.
Round 2: Mar 25: Warwickshire v Longford; Leitrim v Fermanagh.
Round 3: Apr 1: Leitrim v Warwickshire; Fermanagh v Longford.
Final: Apr 15: 1st v 2nd Tweet

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