Will Kilkenny manage a GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship hat-trick for the first time since 1913? Will they win their 10th provincial title in eleven seasons or will one of their Leinster rivals upset them? Will it be Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Tipperary or Clare in Munster and how will all five fare in the All-Ireland series? After 20 years without a Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship win, are Galway finally ready to make the breakthrough? And how will Antrim do in the All-Ireland qualifiers? First they will attempt to defend the Ulster title but irrespective of how they fare, they will represent the province in the All-Ireland series. The answer to all those, and many more, intriguing questions will emerge over the next few months in what promises to be a hugely exciting campaign. The race for the Liam McCarthy Cup begins in Leinster next Sunday with a double quarter-final header in Portlaoise while there's also Quarter-Final action in Ulster. The full line-up is as follows Saturday Ulster quarter-final: Armagh v London, Newry, 2.0 pm Sunday Leinster quarter-finals Laois v Offaly 2.0pm; Dublin v Westmeath 3.50pm. (Both in Portlaoise.) *The Laois-Offaly game will be shown live on RTE 2. Ulster quarter-finals: Derry v Monaghan, Celtic Park, 7.30 pm. DUBLIN v WESTMEATH They meet for the second time in three seasons with Westmeath having beaten Dublin by two points in 2006. It was only Westmeath's second ever win over Dublin in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, having previously succeeded in 1982. In all, the counties have met 17 times in the Leinster Championship with Dublin winning 15 to Westmeath's two. Westmeath, coached by former Offaly All-Ireland hero, Johnny Dooley, head into Sunday's tie as Division 2 champions, having enjoyed a great campaign where they lost just once. They beat Carlow in the final to clinch the title and set themselves up for the big test with Dublin. Tommy Naughton's Dublin squad have been making steady progress in recent years and showed their durability this spring when surviving in a very tough Division 1A where they finished fourth of six after winning one, drawing one and losing three of five games. They finished above Wexford and Antrim, both of whom were relegated. Dublin last qualified for the Leinster final in 1991 while their last provincial success was in 1961. Westmeath have never won the title. Next Sunday's winners will play Wexford in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final on June 14. GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship: Dublin 6 Westmeath 0 Leinster Championship titles: Dublin 23 Westmeath 0 Last GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship title: Dublin 1938; Westmeath 0 Last Leinster Championship title: Dublin 1961 Westmeath 0 LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS 2006 _ Westmeath 0-13 Westmeath 0-11 2004 _ Dublin 2-14 Westmeath 0-11 2003 _ Dublin 4-17 Westmeath 0-13 2002 _ Dublin 2-12 Westmeath 1-12 2000 _ Dublin 1-20 Westmeath 0-7 OFFALY v LAOIS Offaly are seeking their 14th successive Leinster Senior Hurling Championship win over Laois, who recorded their last victory over their neighbours in 1972. The counties have clashed 51 times in the championship, with Offaly leading 30-17 while there have been four draws. It's the third successive year they have clashed in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and while Offaly won the last two easily, Laois made a major statement of intent in this year's League when they beat their neighbours in a Division 1B game, winning by 1-17 to 2-13 in a cracking contest. That has certainly set the scene for next Sunday's televised clash, the prize for which is a semi-final date with Kilkenny. The win over Offaly was Laois's sole success in the League but then Offaly managed to take only a single point from five games. Unsurprisingly, both sides were relegated. It will be a most unusual day for the Dooley brothers who will be managing two counties at the same venue. Johnny will be in charge of Westmeath against Dublin while Joe will lead his native county against Laois. GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship: Offaly 4; Laois 1. Leinster Championship titles: Offaly 9; Laois 3. Last GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship: Offaly 1998; Laois 1915. Last Leinster Championship title: Offaly 1995; Laois 1949. LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS 2007 _ Offaly 1-26 Laois 0-10 2006 _ Offaly 2-12 Laois 0-8 2004 _ Offaly 2-23 Laois 1-15 1997 _ Offaly 1-11 Laois 2-7 1996 _ Offaly 4-17 Laois 2-10 QUARTER-FINAL DAY IN ULSTER The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is heading for the quarter-finals where the two winners will earn the right to play Antrim and Down respectively in the semi-finals. Fresh from narrow wins over Cavan and Donegal respectively, Monaghan face Derry in next Sunday's quarter-finals while London, who beat Tyrone last weekend take on Armagh on Saturday. Monaghan have shown great resilience to beat Cavan and Donegal by two and one point respectively but are likely to find Derry even more difficult to dislodge. Derry finished fourth in Division 2B this year, winning three and losing two of their five games. The winners will play Antrim in the semi-final. Armagh won one and lost four of their five games but will be hopeful of earning a semi-final date with Antrim when they take on London on Saturday. However, they will need to be at their very best as London easily beat Tyrone last weekend. 2008 GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES/RESULTS ULSTER May 11: First round: Monaghan 2-15 Cavan 1-16, Kingspan Breffni Park; Tyrone 1-11 Fermanagh 2-7, Lisnaskea. May 17: Second round: Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 1-14, Clones. Next Sunday: Second round: London 2-13 Tyrone 1-6, Omagh. May 24: Quarter-final: Armagh v London. May 25: Quarter-final: Derry v Monaghan. June 1: Semi-finals: Antrim v Monaghan/Derry; Down v London/Armagh. June 15: Final, Casement Park LEINSTER Next Sunday: Quarter-finals: Dublin v Westmeath; Offaly v Laois (Both in Portlaoise) June 14: Semi-final: Wexford v Dublin/Westmeath, Kilkenny or Mullingar. June 15: Semi-final: Kilkenny v Offaly/Laois, Portlaoise. July 6: Final, Croke Park MUNSTER June 1: Quarter-final: Clare v Waterford, Gaelic Grounds June 8: Semi-final: Cork v Tipperary, Pairc Ui Chaoimh June 22: Semi-final: Limerick v Clare or Waterford, Limerick or Thurles. July 13: Final GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS June 28: Round 1: Antrim v Galway, Casement Park. July 5: Round 2: Loser of Antrim v Galway v Loser of Clare v Waterford; Winner of Antrim v Galway v Leinster quarter-final loser. July 12: Round 3: Beaten Leinster semi-finalists v Beaten Munster semi-finalists (2 games) July 19: Round 4: Round 2 winners v Round 3 winners (2 games) GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS July 27: Quarter-finals: Munster runners-up v Round 4 winner; Leinster runners-up v Round 4 winner. August 10: Semi-final: Leinster champions v Quarter-final winner, Croke Park. August 17: Semi-final: Munster champions v Quarter-final winner, Croke Park. September 7: All-Ireland final, Croke Park. CHRISTY RING CUP Competing Counties: Westmeath, Roscommon, Wicklow, Carlow, London, Down, Meath, Mayo, Kerry, Kildare, Derry, Armagh. June 28: Round 1: Group 2A: Westmeath v Roscommon; Group 2B; Carlow v London; Group 2C: Meath v Mayo; Group 2D: Kildare v Derry. July 5: Round 2: Group 2A: Roscommon v Wicklow; Group 2B: London v Down; Group 2C: Mayo v Kerry; Group 2D: Derry v Armagh. July 12: Round 3: Group 2A: Wicklow v Westmeath; Group 2B: Down v Carlow; Group 2C: Kerry v Meath; Group 2D: Armagh v Kildare. July 19: Quarter-finals July 26: Semi-finals Aug 2/3/4: Final NICKY RACKARD CUP Competing Counties: Louth, Fingal, Longford, Non Ards, Leitrim, Fermanagh, Donegal, Tyrone, Monaghan, Sligo, Cavan, and Warwickshire. June 28: Round 1: Group 3A: Louth v Fingal; Group 3B: Non Ards v Leitrim; Group 3C: Donegal v Tyrone; Group 3D: Sligo v Cavan. July 5: Round 2: Group 3A: Fingal v Longford; Group 3B:Leitrim v Fermanagh; Group 3C: Tyrone v Monaghan; Group 3D: Cavan v Warwickshire. July 12: Group 3A: Longford v Louth; Group 3B: Fermanagh v Non Ards; Group 3C: Monaghan v Donegal; Group 3D: Warwickshire v Sligo. July 19: Quarter-finals. July 26: Semi-finals Aug 2/3/4: Final Tweet

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