As we go into the final day of the Allianz Hurling League regular season all six sides in Division 1A harbour dreams of a semi-final berth but also face the danger of relegation.

With Clare travelling to Semple stadium to face Tipperary, Kilkenny hosting Cork at Nowlan Park and Waterford welcoming Galway to Walsh Park it is set up for three make or break ties.

Oisin Langan spoke to GAA journalist and author Christy O’Connor about this year’s league, and asks how have we reached this point – with all six sides in such close proximity? And what, if anything, can we read into the summer’s Championship from these results?

Christy told Oisin he sees it as an early sign of the chasing pack closing the gap on Kilkenny, and this could be the beginnings of another great era of hurling where several sides can have realistic ambitions of winning the Liam McCarthy cup.

Image: Galway take to the field in last year's All Ireland hurling final
©INPHO/James Crombie