The first of the senior hurling finalists in Leinster and Munster will be decided next weekend in Wexford Park and Thurles as Wexford take on Kilkenny on Saturday evening while Limerick clash with Waterford on Sunday. Dublin meet Galway in the second Leinster semi-final on Saturday week while Tipperary play Clare in Munster's second semi-final on Sunday week.

Next weekend's hurling fixtures are as follows:
Saturday
Leinster SH semi-final: Wexford v Kilkenny, Wexford Park, 7.00pm
Sunday
Munster SH semi-final: Limerick v Waterford, Thurles, 4.00pm
Ulster SH semi-final: Down v Armagh, Casement Park, 3.30pm

KILKENNY v WEXFORD
They meet for the first time in three years with Kilkenny seeking their sixth successive championship win over Wexford, having beaten their close neighbours in 2008-2007 (twice), 2006-2005. Wexford's last championship win over Kilkenny was in 2004 when they won the Leinster semi-final by two points, thanks to a last minute goal. That was the last time Kilkenny lost a championship game in Leinster. Wexford last reached the Leinster final in 2008, where they lost to Kilkenny, and are chasing their first provincial title since 2004.

Last Five Championship Clashes
2008: Kilkenny 5-21 Wexford 0-17 (Leinster final)
2007: Kilkenny 0-23 Wexford 1-10 (All-Ireland semi-final)
2007: Kilkenny 2-24 Wexford 1-12 (Leinster final)
2006: Kilkenny 1-23 Wexford 2-12 (Leinster final)
2005: Kilkenny 0-22 Wexford 1-16 (Leinster final)

This Season.....
Kilkenny 2-16 Wexford 0-17 (Allianz Hurling League, 6 March 2011) Colin Fennelly and TJ Reid scored 1-3 each as Kilkenny ran out five-point winners. Kilkenny led by 2-9 to 0-6 at half-time and looked to be on their way to an easy win but Wexford battle back bravely and out-scored their rivals by 0-11 to 0-7 in the second half. Jim Berry scored 0-9 (0-7 frees) for Wexford who were seeking their first win of the League.

Background....
Kilkenny are having their first outing in the 2011 Championship but Wexford already have a win behind them, having beaten Antrim by 3-16 to 1-11 in a first round tie in

Wexford Park last Sunday week. Rory Jacob (1-5), David Redmond (1-2), Stephen Banville (0-4) and Jim Berry 1-1 were Wexford's main marksmen.

LIMERICK v WATERFORD
They last met in the Munster championship in 2009 when it took a replay to separate them with Waterford clinching a place in the final with an eight-point win. Waterford, the defending Munster champions, are attempting to reach the final for the third successive year while Limerick last reached the final in 2007 where they lost to Waterford.

Last Five Championship Clashes
2009: Waterford 0-25 Limerick 0-17 (Munster semi-final) Replay
2009: Waterford 0-11 Limerick 1-8 (Munster semi-final) Draw
2007: Limerick 5-11 Waterford 2-15 (All-Ireland semi-final)
2007: Waterford 3-17 Limerick 1-14 (Munster final)
2003: Waterford 1-12 Limerick 0-13 (Munster semi-final) Replay

Background...
Both will be having their first championship outing of the season. They were in different Divisions in the Allianz Hurling League with Waterford finishing third in Division I (4 wins, 1 draw, two defeats) while Limerick won all seven games in Division II, clinching promotion before they went on to beat Clare in the final.

ARMAGH v DOWN
Antrim await the winners in the final. Both sides have already won two games in the Ulster championship as follows:
Down 3-16 Donegal 1-13
Down 3-19 Derry 1-9
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Armagh 5-19 Fermanagh 5-6
Armagh 2-18 Monaghan 2-6

ALL-IRELAND QUALIFIER DRAW
It's Antrim v Westmeath and Laois v Cork in the preliminary round of the All-Ireland hurling qualifiers on the weekend after next with the Antrim/Westmeath winners taking on Carlow in Phase 1 while Laois or Cork will play Offaly. The two winners of Phase 1 will take on the two winners from the Phase 2 clashes involving the Leinster semi-final losers against the Munster semi-final losers.

GAA HURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011 - FIXTURES & RESULTS
LEINSTER
First Round
May 14: Antrim 1-21 Laois 3-12, Portlaoise.
May 22: Westmeath 4-10 Carlow 1-14, Dr. Cullen Park.
Quarter-finals
May 29: Dublin 2-21 Offaly 1-20, Parnell Park; Wexford 3-16 Antrim 1-11, Wexford
Park.
June 4: Galway 4-17 Westmeath 2-14, Mullingar.
Semi-finals
Next Saturday: Kilkenny v Wexford; Wexford Park.
June 18: Galway v Dublin, Tullamore.
Final
July 3: Croke Park.

MUNSTER
Quarter-final
May 29: Tipperary 3-22 Cork 0-23, Thurles.
Semi-finals
June 12: Limerick v Waterford, Thurles.
June 19: Clare v Tipperary, Limerick.
Final
July 10: Venue TBC

ULSTER
First round
May 14: Down 3-16 Donegal 1-13, Letterkenny; Derry 2-13 Tyrone 0-6, Omagh;
Armagh 5-19 Fermanagh 5-6, Enniskillen.
Quarter-finals
May 28: Down 3-19 Derry 1-9, Casement Park; Armagh 2-18 Monaghan 2-6, Newry
Semi-final
Next Sunday: Down v Armagh.
Final
June 26:
Antrim v semi-final winners, Casement Park.

ALL-IRELAND SH QUALIFIERS
Preliminary Round
June 18: Antrim v Westmeath; Laois v Cork
Phase 1
June 25: Antrim/Westmeath v Carlow; Laois/Cork v Offaly.
Phase 2
July 2 (Beaten Leinster semi-finalists v beaten Munster semi-finalists)
Phase 3
July 9: Phase 1 winners v Phase 2 winners (2 games)
ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINALS
July 24: Beaten Leinster and Munster finalists v Qualifier winners. (Venue TBC)
ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS
August 7: Leinster champions v quarter-final winners, Croke Park.
August 14: Munster champions v quarter-final winners, Croke Park
ALL-IRELAND FINAL
September 4, Croke Park. Tweet

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