Allianz HL fixtures: Trip to Wexford first up for Cork

Cork’s Allianz Hurling League campaign will be almost all about the Saturday night lights.

The GAA have published the master fixture plan for 2025 and Pat Ryan’s side, beaten All-Ireland finalists this year, will be playing five of their six Division 1A fixtures on Saturday evenings – only the All-Ireland final re-match against Clare will be on a Sunday.

Cork’s schedule will begin with the same fixture that ended the 2024 campaign, away to Wexford.

In March of this year, Cork’s last game in the regular section of the league was a game at Chadwicks Wexford Park, with Alan Connolly scoring a second consecutive hat-trick of goals in a 3-21 to 1-15 win.

While that victory was not enough to send Cork through to the knockout stages, it did meant that they earned a place in the new seven-team top flight for the coming, having finished in third place in their section. Wexford also made the cut after finishing fourth and the counties will renew acquaintances in the Model County on Saturday, January 25 with a 5pm throw-in.

A week later, Munster champions Limerick come to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for a Saturday night fixture which has a throw-in time of 7.30pm. The combination of a break and Cork’s ‘bye week’ – each county must sit out one round due to the uneven number of teams in each of the five divisions – means that there is a three-week gap from there to their third fixture.

That is against Tipperary in FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday, February 22, again commencing at 7.30pm, while a week later there is a slightly earlier start of 5pm as Kilkenny make the trip to Leeside.

Sunday, March 9 is the date for the renewal of acquaintances with Clare as Cork go to Cusack Park for the third straight year in the league, that game beginning at 3.15pm. The last match of the first phase sees Galway visit Cork on Saturday, March 22 at 7.30pm.

Under the new format, there are no semi-finals, with the top two teams progressing to the final. The bottom two sides will be relegated to Division 1B.

ALLIANZ HL DIVISION 1A FIXTURES Saturday, January 25: Wexford v Cork, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 5pm.

Saturday, February 1: Cork v Limerick, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm.

Saturday, February 22: Tipperary v Cork, FBD Semple Stadium, 7.30pm.

Saturday, March 1: Cork v Kilkenny, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 5pm.

Sunday, March 9: Clare v Cork, Cusack Park, 3.15pm.

Saturday, March 22: Cork v Galway, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm.