Weekend hurling predictions and GAA betting tips: Limerick can edge out the Tribesmen despite loss of Hannon

Where to watch All Ireland Hurling Championship semi-finals

Limerick v Galway
RTE, 6pm Saturday

Clare v Kilkenny
RTE, 4pm Sunday

Best bets

Limerick to win by one to three points 
2pts 15-4 BoyleSports

Gearoid Hegarty to be named RTE Man Of The Match
1pt 12-1 Paddy Power

Clare v Kilkenny, total points over 54.5 
3pts 11-10 BoyleSports

Clare v Kilkenny, total points over 56.5
2pts 7-4 BoyleSports

Clare v Kilkenny, over 3.5 goals
2pts 11-8 BoyleSports

Weekend hurling predictions

Limerick v Galway

The semi-final line-up for the 2023 All Ireland Hurling Championship is a carbon copy of last year's with Limerick taking on Galway and Clare facing Kilkenny.

Reigning All Ireland kings Limerick recorded a gutsy-three point win over Galway last year and they could again prevail in another tense encounter.

Galway rose to the challenge in admirable fashion last season and were a point ahead with nine minutes remaining. However, they couldn't repel the late Limerick surge as substitute David Reidy and Diarmuid Byrnes delivered some crucial scores in the final exchanges. 

Limerick have shown time and time again that they are built for the clutch moments. 

Their senior players seem to come to the fore when a Championship game is in the melting pot and they consistently deliver the goods in a composed yet clinical manner when the chips are down.

It's hard to see Galway getting away from them on Saturday and if the match is delicately poised with ten minutes to go, John Kiely's troops could again calmly deliver a decisive blow.

Galway are capable of turning them over, especially given Limerick haven't looked as intimidating this year. They have been fortunate to scrape through some matches, no more so than late on in the Munster final when Clare should have been afforded a free to level proceedings. 

However, champions tend to make their own luck and their composed nature and unwavering faith in their system makes it very difficult to close out games against them, particularly at this stage of the competition.

Declan Hannon is a huge loss for Limerick, and Galway have the physical stature to go toe to toe with them, so this could go down to the wire.

But Limerick have that unerring ability to close out games and may do so again to book their place in another All Ireland decider. 

Gearoid Hegarty has been surprisingly named at wing back and, although he has yet to catch fire this season, he is a man for the big occasion so he can be expected to play a starring role.

Clare v Kilkenny

The second semi-final of the weekend is a tricky contest to weigh up.

Clare have looked primed for a big All Ireland run all season long but it is hard to banish the memory of their semi-final collapse 12 months ago when they limped out of the Championship following a 12-point drubbing at the hands of Kilkenny. 

Derek Lyng's men secured another Leinster Championship in dramatic fashion and have been progressing nicely despite enduring some bad luck with injuries, including one to their talisman, Adrian Mullen.

It is unclear yet whether Mullen will play, while Clare also have some concerns of their own with John Conlon, Conor Cleary and Aidan McCarthy all carrying injuries. Cleary and Conlon have been named to start but it remains to be seen if they take to the field on Sunday, especially Cleary, while McCarthy has not been named on the panel.

Conlon's availability is imperative for Clare, especially given how his absence affected his side in last year's semi-final. Mikey Butler marshalled Tony Kelly expertly on that occasion and that will prove a fascinating tussle once more, while Huw Lawlor on Shane O'Donnell could be another pivotal match up.

Clare are the marginal favourites with bookmakers, which seems about right, but while the match market is tough to decipher, a high-scoring game does seem likely. 

Kilkenny have shown a proclivity for scoring goals of late, rattling the net four times against Galway and five against Wexford, while Clare boast some of the top forwards in Ireland in Kelly, Rodgers and O'Donnell.

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