UPCOMING INTER-COUNTY league fixtures will be spread across Saturdays and Sundays for live TV coverage from broadcast partners Eir and TG4 in a similar manner to the 2020 season. 

The Allianz Hurling League will begin on the weekend of 8/9 May, with football commencing a week later.

It’s understood that fixtures across all four Allianz Football League divisions in addition to hurling’s Division 1 which are not covered by the national broadcast partners will be aired on GAAGO, the Association’s streaming app.

It’s anticipated that host counties in the second and third tiers of hurling will be entitled to stream their own league games.

The GAA sent out provisional fixture lists to county boards on Monday evening with their own league schedules to be rubber-stamped. It’s expected the GAA will release the full list of league fixtures next week at some stage.

Once again, with Covid in mind, there will be no double-headers at grounds.

The glamour tie on the opening weekend of hurling games will see Limerick clash with Tipperary in Limerick to kick off the inter-county’s return on Saturday, 8 May.

All-Ireland hurling finalists Waterford are set to play Cork in their opening game of 2021 in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday, 9 May.

And in football reigning league champions Kerry are understood to be starting at home to Galway on Saturday, 15 May.

It’s expected Dublin, Monaghan, Cork and Down will all lose home advantage for one of their football league games after their training breaches. 

Meanwhile, the government will not allow any inter-county challenge games take place before 4 May.

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Counties were hoping to arrange warm-up games to prepare for the start of the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues, but they won’t be permitted before the Covid-19 restrictions are reviewed near the end of the month.

“The public health regulations permit Senior Inter-County training only from 19 April,” the Department of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media told The42.

“The Gaelic Games Associations have been informed that from 19 April training matches can only take place between authorised players on the inter-county panels concerned.

“The question of permitting inter-county matches, challenges or otherwise, will be considered by government towards the end of this month in advance of 4 May.”

-Additional reporting by Kevin O’Brien