At first glance it’s essentially a carbon copy of the GAA’s current master fixture list now all but completed, only the 2024 structure will most likely make for a more competitive National Hurling League going into next year and beyond.
It follows the decision by Central Council last weekend to approve the introduction of a new league structure from 2025, which will consist of five hierarchical divisions of seven teams, although the top two divisions will continue to be designated as 1A and 1B.
This also means the upcoming league will determine who goes into the 2025 top tier, with the leading three from Division 1A and Division 1B joined by the fourth-placed team from 1A or 1B boasting the best record.
Despite some muted opposition from certain counties, including Wexford, Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) chairperson Derek Kent (also a Wexford native) said the changes will likely bring some “life” back into the competition.
“That appetite I believe was with most hurling counties,” Kent said at the master fixture announcement in Croke Park, “because it’s putting a bit of life back into the leagues, because it had lost its spark.
“If you’re in Division One, you certainly don’t want to be relegated to Division Two. So, if you’re a Cork, or Tipperary, or Clare or Limerick, you don’t want to go down.
“And if you’re down in the lower division, you have to look at your competition, look at your gate receipts, so that will give some life to stay in Division One, and also to stay in Division Two, as supposed to Division Three.
“Naturally enough, some counties that are feeling the heat at the moment around the lower tier of Division One, of course they might oppose it. Including my own county.”
The seventh place in the new top tier will be determined by a) match points; and if they are equal b) scoring difference. There won’t be a playoff so, that an additional fixture won’t be required in the already packed calendar.
From there, promotion and relegation will be on the basis of two up and two down, so there will be greater churn than under the previous structure; the hurling league final will be played between the top two teams in 1A.
GAA Games Administration manager Bernard Smith said the continuation of the split season was a given, under GAA rule, although the aim to complete all club competitions within the calendar year, including the All-Ireland finals, is not yet realistic.
“Not at the moment,” said Smith, “although that was the long-term goal of the Association, we’re in a very good place now, it’s finished before the start of the national league, and we’re taking up only the first three weekends in January, for the club.
“We did look at the option of playing both club semi-finals pre-Christmas, but that would have taken another week off the clubs. Remember, too, the split season is actually in rule, so the CCCC don’t have the power to change this, there has to be a motion to Congress. So we are restricted by what’s in rule. We can’t go on a solo run and change things.”
League finals in both football and hurling also do remain: “Central Council have told us that twice now, so we’ll go with it,” said Smith.
The 2024 football league starts on Saturday, January 27th with a repeat of this year’s All-Ireland semi-finals; Kerry host Derry at Austin Stack Park (5.30pm), before All-Ireland champions Dublin host Monaghan in Croke Park.
In one change from 2023, it was agreed that all games in the final round of Division Two in football will be played simultaneously under floodlights on Saturday, March 23rd.
Previously, the round seven games of all four divisions were played on the Sunday, although for 2024, the Sunday schedule will now consist of Divisions One, Three and Four.
This gives Division Two its own top billing on the Saturday, with additional significance once again as it will partly decide which teams qualify for the Sam Maguire championship or will play in the 2024 Tailteann Cup.
2024 Allianz League Fixtures
JANUARY
Saturday 27th
AFL – Div 1: Kerry v Derry, 5.30; Dublin v Monaghan, 7.30. Div 2: Meath v Fermanagh, 2.30; Kildare v Cavan, 5.0; Armagh v Louth, 6.0. Div 4 (6.0): Laois v Longford; Tipperary v Carlow.
Sunday 28th
AFL – Div 1: Galway v Mayo, 1.45; Tyrone v Roscommon, 3.35. Div 2: Donegal v Cork, 1.45. Div 3 (2.0): Limerick v Antrim, 12.30; Clare v Sligo; Offaly v Westmeath; Wicklow v Down, Aughrim. Div 4: London v Wexford, 1.0; Waterford v Leitrim, 2.0.
FEBRUARY
Saturday 3rd
AFL – Div 1: Mayo v Dublin, 7.30; Div 2 (6.0): Armagh v Meath; Fermanagh v Kildare. Div 3: Down v Limerick, 6.0; Div 4 (6.0): Carlow v Waterford; Wexford v Laois.
AHL – Div 1B: Galway v Westmeath, 2.0; Dublin v Tipperary, 2.30; Div 3A: Sligo v Cavan, 2.0; Div 3B: Lancashire v Longford, 1.0.
Sunday 4th
AFL – Div 1: Monaghan v Kerry, 1.0; Roscommon v Galway, 2.0; Derry v Tyrone, 3.45. Div 2: Louth v Cork, 1.0; Cavan v Donegal, 4.0. Div 3 (2.0): Antrim v Offaly; Sligo v Wicklow; Westmeath v Clare. Div 4: Leitrim v London, 1.0; Longford v Tipperary, 2.0.
AHL – Div 1A (1.45): Clare v Cork; Kilkenny v Wexford; Offaly v Waterford, 2.0; Div 1B: Limerick v Antrim, 2.0. Div 2A (2.0): Kerry v Carlow, 1.0; Laois v Down; Meath v Kildare. Div 2B: Roscommon v London, 12.30; Derry v Tyrone, 1.30; Wicklow v Donegal, 2.0. Div 3A (2.0): Louth v Monaghan; Mayo v Armagh. Div 3B: Warwickshire v Leitrim, 1.0
Saturday 10th
AHL – Div 1A: Wexford v Offaly, 5.0; Cork v Kilkenny, 7.30. Div 2A: Down v Kerry, 1.0. Div 2B: Donegal v Derry, 2.30; Div 3A: Cavan v Louth, 2.0. Div 3B: Leitrim v Fermanagh, 2.0.
Sunday 11th
AHL – Div 1A: Waterford v Clare, 1.45. Div 1B: Antrim v Dublin, 1.45; Westmeath v Limerick, 2.0; Tipperary v Galway, 3.45. Div 2A (2.0): Carlow v Meath; Kildare v Laois. Div 2B: London v Wicklow, 1.0; Tyrone v Roscommon, 2.0. Div 3A (2.0): Armagh v Sligo; Monaghan v Mayo. Div 3B: Longford v Warwickshire, 1.0.
Saturday 17th
AFL – Div 1 (5.0): Derry v Monaghan; Dublin v Roscommon; Kerry v Mayo, 7.30. Div 2: Donegal v Fermanagh, 2.0; Cork v Cavan, 4.0. Div 4 (6.0): Laois v Carlow; Waterford v Longford.
Sunday 18th
AFL – Div 1: Tyrone v Galway, 1.45. Div 2: Meath v Louth, 2.0; Kildare v Armagh, 3.45. Div 3 (2.0): Antrim v Down; Limerick v Sligo; Offaly v Clare; Wicklow v Westmeath. Div 4: London v Tipperary, 1.0; Leitrim v Wexford, 2.0.
Saturday 24th
AFL – Div 1: Tyrone v Mayo, 5.15; Dublin v Kerry, 7.30. Div 3: Down v Offaly, 6.0. Div 4: Wexford v Waterford, 5.0.
AHL – Div 1B: Tipperary v Westmeath, 4.0; Dublin v Limerick, 5.15. Div 2A: Laois v Carlow, 6.0. Div 2B: Tyrone v Donegal, 3.0. Div 3B (2.0): Fermanagh v Warwickshire; Leitrim v Lancashire.
Sunday 25th
AFL – Div 1 (1.45): Galway v Derry; Roscommon v Monaghan. Div 2 (2.0): Fermanagh v Cork; Louth v Cavan; Meath v Kildare; Armagh v Donegal, 3.0. Div 3 (2.0): Clare v Wicklow; Sligo v Antrim; Westmeath v Limerick. Div 4 (2.0): Longford v London, 1.0; Carlow v Leitrim; Tipperary v Laois.
AHL – Div 1A (3.45): Kilkenny v Offaly, 1.45; Cork v Waterford; Wexford v Clare. Div 1B: Antrim v Galway, 1.0. Div 2A (2.0): Down v Kildare; Kerry v Meath. Div 2B: Derry v London, 1.0; Wicklow v Roscommon, 2.0. Div 3A (2.0): Louth v Sligo, 1.0; Mayo v Cavan; Monaghan v Armagh.
MARCH
Saturday 2nd
AFL – Div 1: Derry v Dublin, 5.0; Mayo v Roscommon, 7.30. Div 2: Fermanagh v Armagh, 6.0; Cavan v Meath, 7.0. Div 3: Limerick v Clare, 6.0; Div 4 (7.0): Carlow v Wexford; Laois v London.
Sunday 3rd
AFL – Div 1: Kerry v Tyrone, 1.15; Monaghan v Galway, 3.15. Div 2: Donegal v Louth, 2.0; Cork v Kildare, 3.30. Div 3 (2.0): Antrim v Westmeath; Down v Sligo; Offaly v Wicklow. Div 4 (2.0): Longford v Leitrim; Tipperary v Waterford.
Saturday 9th
AHL – Div 1B: Westmeath v Antrim, 3.30; Limerick v Tipperary, 7.35. Div 2A (2.0): Kildare v Kerry; Cavan v Armagh. Div 3B (2.0): Fermanagh v Lancashire; Longford v Leitrim.
Sunday 10th
AHL – Div 1A: Offaly v Cork, 1.15; Clare v Kilkenny, 1.30; Waterford v Wexford, 3.30. Div 1B: Galway v Dublin, 1.30. Div 2A: Carlow v Down, 1.0; Meath v Laois, 2.0; Div 2B (2.0): London v Tyrone, 1.0; Roscommon v Donegal; Wicklow v Derry. Div 3A (2.0): Mayo v Louth; Sligo v Monaghan.
Saturday 16th
AFL – Div 1: Galway v Dublin, 3.15; Tyrone v Monaghan, 7.30. Div 2: Armagh v Cavan, 5.0. Div 3: Wicklow v Limerick, 3.0. Div 4: London v Waterford, 1.0; Laois v Leitrim, 4.15; Tipperary v Wexford, 6.0.
AHL – Div 1A: Waterford v Kilkenny, 3.0. Div 1B: Antrim v Tipperary, 3.0. Div 2A (2.0): Down v Meath; Kildare v Carlow, 2.0; Laois v Kerry, 2.0. Div 3A (2.30): Armagh v Louth; Cavan v Monaghan; Sligo v Mayo. Div 3B (2.30): Fermanagh v Longford; Warwickshire v Lancashire.
Sunday 17th
AFL – Div 1: Roscommon v Kerry, 1.45; Mayo v Derry, 3.45. Div 2: Louth v Fermanagh, 1.0; Meath v Cork, 1.45. Div 3 (2.0): Clare v Antrim, 12.30; Sligo v Offaly; Westmeath v Down. Div 4: Longford v Carlow, 2.0.
AHL – Div 1A (1.45): Offaly v Clare; Wexford v Cork. Div 1B (1.45): Dublin v Westmeath; Limerick v Galway. Div 2B (1.0): Derry v Roscommon; Donegal v London; Tyrone v Wicklow.
Saturday 23rd /Sunday 24th
AHL semi-finals and relegation playoffs
Saturday 23rd
AFL – Div 2 (7.0): Cavan v Fermanagh; Cork v Armagh; Donegal v Meath; Kildare v Louth.
Sunday 24th
AFL – Div 1 (1.45): Derry v Roscommon; Dublin v Tyrone; Kerry v Galway; Monaghan v Mayo. Div 3 (2.0): Antrim v Wicklow; Down v Clare; Offaly v Limerick; Sligo v Westmeath. Div 4 (1.0): Carlow v London; Leitrim v Tipperary; Waterford v Laois; Wexford v Longford.
Saturday 30th/Sunday 31st
AFL finals
AHL finals (Div 2A, 2B, 3A & 3B)
APRIL
Saturday 6th/Sunday 7th
AHL Div 1 Final
2024 Championship Fixtures
APRIL
Saturday 6th
Connacht SFC quarter-final: London v Galway
Sunday 7th
Connacht SFC quarter-finals: New York v Mayo; Sligo v Leitrim.
Leinster SFC Rd 1: Westmeath v Wicklow; Wexford v Carlow; Longford v Meath.
Munster SFC quarter-finals: Tipperary v Waterford; Limerick v Cork.
Ulster SFC preliminary round: Monaghan v Cavan.
Saturday 13th
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Down v Antrim
Saturday 13th/Sunday 14th
Christy Ring Cup Rd 1: Tyrone v London; Sligo v Kildare; Wicklow v Derry.
Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 1: Roscommon v Louth; Armagh v Donegal; Mayo v Monaghan.
Lory Meagher Cup Rd 1: Leitrim v Fermanagh; Longford v Lancashire; Cavan v Warwickshire.
Sunday 14th
Leinster SFC quarter-finals: Dublin v Longford/Meath; Kildare v Westmeath/Wicklow; Louth v Carlow/Wexford; Offaly v Laois.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Fermanagh v Armagh.
Saturday 20th
Connacht SFC semi-final: Sligo/Leitrim v London/Galway.
Munster SFC semi-finals: Clare v Tipperary/Waterford;
Kerry v Limerick/Cork.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Derry v Donegal
Saturday 20th/Sunday 21st
Joe McDonagh Cup Rd 1: Westmeath v Kerry; Down v Meath; Laois v Offaly.
Christy Ring Cup Rd 2: Kildare v Wicklow; London v Sligo; Derry v Tyrone.
Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 2: Donegal v Mayo; Louth v Armagh; Monaghan v Roscommon.
Lory Meagher Cup Rd 2: Fermanagh v Cavan; Warwickshire v Longford; Lancashire v Leitrim.
Sunday 21st
Connacht SFC semi-final: New York/Mayo v Roscommon.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Tyrone v Monaghan/Cavan.
Leinster SHC Rd 1: Kilkenny v Antrim; Wexford v Dublin; Galway v Carlow
Munster SHC Rd 1: Clare v Limerick; Waterford v Cork.
Saturday 27th
Leinster SHC Rd 2: Antrim v Wexford; Carlow v Dublin.
Saturday 27th/Sunday 28th
Ulster SFC semi-finals: Derry/Donegal v Tyrone or Monaghan/Cavan;
Down/Antrim v Fermanagh/Armagh.
Joe McDonagh Cup Rd 2: Meath v Laois; Kerry v Down; Offaly v Westmeath.
Christy Ring Cup Rd 3: Kildare v Derry; London v Wicklow; Sligo v Tyrone.
Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 3: Donegal v Monaghan; Louth v Mayo; Armagh v Roscommon.
Lory Meagher Cup Rd 3: Lancashire v Cavan; Warwickshire v Fermanagh; Longford v Leitrim.
Sunday 28th
Leinster SFC semi-finals: Dublin or Longford/Meath v Offaly/Laois; Kildare or Westmeath/Wicklow v Louth or Carlow/Wexford.
Leinster SHC Rd 2: Galway v Kilkenny.
Munster SHC Rd 2: Cork v Clare; Limerick v Tipperary.
MAY
Saturday 4th
Leinster SHC Rd 3: Wexford v Galway.
Munster SHC Rd 3: Waterford v Tipperary.
Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th
Joe McDonagh Cup Rd 3: Meath v Offaly; Kerry v Laois; Down v Westmeath.
Sunday 5th
Connacht SFC Final.
Munster SFC Final.
Saturday 11th
Leinster SHC Rd 3: Dublin v Antrim; Carlow v Kilkenny.
Munster SHC Rd 3: Cork v Limerick.
Saturday 11th/Sunday 12th
Tailteann Cup Rd 1.
All-Ireland U20 Championship semi-final.
Christy Ring Cup Rd 4: Tyrone v Kildare; Wicklow v Sligo; Derry v London.
Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 4: Roscommon v Donegal; Mayo v Armagh; Monaghan v Louth.
Lory Meager Cup Rd 4: Cavan v Longford; Fermanagh v Lancashire; Leitrim v Warwickshire.
Sunday 12th
Leinster SFC Final.
Ulster SFC Final.
Saturday 18th
Leinster SHC Rd 4: Dublin v Kilkenny
Saturday 18th-Sunday19th
All-Ireland SFC Rd 1 (Involving Munster & Connacht finalists).
Tailteann Cup Round 2.
All-Ireland U20 Championship Finals (A&B).
Joe McDonagh Cup Rd 4: Westmeath v Meath; Laois v Down; Offaly v Kerry.
Christy Ring Cup Rd 5: Tyrone v Wicklow; Sligo v Derry; London v Kildare.
Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 5: Roscommon v Mayo; Armagh v Monaghan; Louth v Donegal.
Lory Meagher Cup Rd 5: Leitrim v Cavan; Longford v Fermanagh; Lancashire v Warwickshire.
Sunday 19th
Leinster SHC Rd 4: Carlow v Wexford; Antrim v Galway.
Munster SHC Rd 4: Clare v Waterford; Tipperary v Cork.
All-Ireland SFC Rd 1 (Involving Leinster & Ulster finalists).
Joe McDonagh Cup Rd 5: Westmeath v Laois; Down v Offaly; Kerry v Meath.
Sunday 26th
Leinster SHC Rd 5: Kilkenny v Wexford; Galway v Dublin; Antrim v Carlow.
Munster SHC Rd 5: Limerick v Waterford; Tipperary v Clare.
JUNE
Saturday 1st/Sunday 2nd
All-Ireland SFC Rd 2.
Tailteann Cup Rd 3 (Neutral).
Christy Ring Cup Final.
Nickey Rackard Cup Final.
Lory Meagher Cup Final.
All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship Final.
Saturday 8th
Leinster SHC Final.
Joe McDonagh Cup Final.
Saturday 8th/Sunday 9th
Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals.
Sunday 9th
Munster SHC Final.
Saturday 15th/Sunday 16th
All-Ireland SFC Rd 3 (Neutral).
Tailteann Cup quarter-finals.
All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals.
Saturday 22nd
All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.
Saturday 22nd/Sunday 23rd
All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals.
Sunday 23rd
Tailteann Cup semi-finals.
Saturday 29th/Sunday 30th
All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals.
All-Ireland SHC relegation playoff.
JULY
Saturday 6th
All-Ireland SHC semi-final (Leinster winner v quarter-final winner).
Sunday 7th
All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Munster winner v quarter-final winner.
Saturday 13th
Tailteann Cup Final.
Saturday 13th/Sunday14th
All-Ireland SFC semi-finals.
Sunday 21st
All-Ireland SHC Final.
Sunday 28th
All-Ireland SFC Final.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here
