Allianz Hurling League Predictions and Betting Tips

The 2026 Allianz National Hurling League commences on Saturday, January 24th, with 35 teams competing across five divisions. Fixtures will run until April 5th and conclude with one-off divisional finals. In this betting guide, we’ll preview 12 standout fixtures from the first four weeks of matches in Division 1A. We’ll also provide data-driven predictions and betting insights based on historic performances.

🏑 Weekend Allianz Hurling League Tips – Saturday 24th January - Sunday 22nd February

Before we delve into more detailed previews, here’s a summary of our predictions for the upcoming Division 1A encounters. This includes our individual picks and the latest hurling betting odds from RoyalistPlay.

⚠️ Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

National Hurling League Previews & Predictions

Now, let’s take a closer look at our selected matches and who we think will win. Our experts have analysed recent and historic form data, while also factoring in individual and collective scoring performances.

Tipperary vs Galway Predictions - TG4, 7.00pm Saturday 24th January, FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles

Defending All-Ireland champions Tipperary kick off their Allianz League campaign with a home match against Galway. Although the Herring Chokers placed third in the division last season, they lost three of their six matches, including a 12-point home reversal to Tipperary.

Tipp were ultimately defeated in the Division 1A final against Cork, before avenging this loss in a thrilling All-Ireland final. They also boasted the division’s top scorer in Darragh McCarthy, with the 20-year-old plundering two goals and 54 points at a rate of 9.00 per game.

He also went 1-6 during Tipp’s aforementioned win over Galway last season and remains his team’s most prolific attacking player.

Tipperary also won all three of their home matches in Division 1A last season and should have too much attacking quality for a solid but inconsistent Galway side. So, get on them to prevail at odds of 1.45 with RoyalistPlay.

Kilkenny v Offaly Predictions - TG4, 2.00pm Sunday 25th January, UPMC Nowlan Park

Kilkenny placed fourth in last season’s Division 1A table and will host newly promoted Offaly in their opening Allianz League game. Although they lost three of their six games last season (including two at home), their talisman, TJ Reid, was only able to make three appearances during the league campaign. He’s fit and raring to go in 2026, while fellow forward Martin Keoghan will also look to continue the form that saw him notch two goals and 30 points last season.

Kilkenny also have an imperious record against Offaly, having won 12 successive encounters since September 1998. The most recent meeting came on May 10th, 2025, when Kilkenny plundered four goals and ultimately prevailed by 15 points in the Leinster provincial championship.

All roads point to a Kilkenny win, especially given the side’s goal-scoring prowess and physical playing style. You can get on them to triumph at the short price of 1.10 with RoyalistPlay.

Cork v Waterford Predictions - TG4, 3.45pm Sunday 25th January, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Defending Division 1A champions Cork will start a new era when they entertain Waterford at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on January 25th. This game will see new head coach Ben O’Connor take charge of his first Allianz League match, following a campaign that also saw the Rebels reach the All-Ireland final.

Cork blazed their way to last season’s league title, plundering 15 goals in just six matches and three more in the 10-point victory over Tipp during the divisional final. Darragh Fitzgibbon and Patrick Horgan will once again lead the Rebels’ attacking line, having combined for three goals and 72 points in the 2025 campaign.

The team’s attacking quality and firepower can be irresistible at times, while O’Connor will be keen to start his tenure with an authoritative statement win.

Of course, Waterford boast tremendous fitness and organisation under manager Peter Queally. However, they competed in Division 1B last season and may find the step up in class initially challenging. So, get on Cork to start their title defence with a win at odds of 1.31 with RoyalistPlay.

Galway v Cork Predictions - TG4, 7.00pm Saturday 31st January, Pearse Stadium, Galway

Cork’s first road trip will see them take on Galway at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, January 31st. This continues Galway’s tough start to the campaign, after their trip to Thurles to face Tipperary in gameweek one.

The Herring Chokers slumped to a 12-point defeat when the two sides last met in the Allianz League on March 22nd, 2025, albeit at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Cork dominated from the outset, hitting two first-half goals and four overall as Patrick Horgan went 1-9 to become the top scorer in National League history.

This also saw Cork record their 15th National League win over Galway from 26 attempts, with Galway having only recently returned to the top division.

Both recent and historical trends point to a Cork victory, especially with the Rebels having won twice on the road last season by a combined margin of 30 points. You can either back them to win outright or consider applying a small handicap to create additional value.

Offaly v Tipperary Predictions - TG4, 2.00pm Sunday 1st February, Glenisk O'Connor Park

Following their opening weekend trip to Kilkenny, newly promoted Offaly host Tipperary at Glenisk O'Connor Park. This will be another challenging encounter for the Faithful County, although they did manage to win two of their three home league games in Division 1B last season.

Tipperary only lost narrowly to Limerick on the road last season, while they’ve never been defeated by Offaly. All of the teams’ previous meetings have come in the All-Ireland Championship, the most recent of which saw Tipp win by a staggering 32 points during the preliminary quarter-final in 2023.

They ran in seven goals during this thrashing too, with Mark Kehoe (who still plays as a forward for Tipp) contributing a hat-trick.

Offaly will pose an attacking threat in the form of Brian Duignan, who top-scored in Division 1B last season with 71 points in just seven games (an average of 10.14 per match). However, we’re backing Tipperary to prevail, while handicap or winning-margin may offer increased value at some online betting sites.

Waterford v Limerick Predictions - TG4, 2.00pm Sunday 1st February, Walsh Park

2025 Division 1B champions Waterford only lost once during their title-winning campaign, which included a thrilling divisional final victory over Offaly. They boasted the most potent attack and the best defence last season, scoring 12 goals in total and conceding just five.

Only seven teams conceded fewer points than Waterford across all five Allianz divisions in 2025, and the team’s solid defensive shape and organisation will be key to their chances of success in the top flight. This will be sorely tested by Limerick at Walsh Park, even though the Treaty County finished fifth and endured a mixed campaign last year.

Despite losing three times last season, Limerick went unbeaten against the top three and even managed to defeat Tipperary at home. They also defeated Galway by 12 points at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, but slumped to disappointing defeats against Clare and Kilkenny.

Aaron Gillane will once again be Limerick’s most potent attacking threat, going 0-22 last season to take his overall National League tally to 12-262 in 38 career games. He could make the difference in what’s likely to be a tight match, especially in Waterford’s own backyard. Get on Limerick to win narrowly here.

Cork v Tipperary Predictions - TG4, 7.00pm Saturday 7th February, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

On February 7th, defending Division 1A champions Cork will take on the 2025 All-Ireland winners Tipperary at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. This mouth-watering clash will see Ireland’s top two hurling sides do battle in a rematch of last season’s two showpiece matches.

Two of Ireland’s so-called big three, Cork and Tipperary, have contested 190 matches in total, with the Rebels recording 100 triumphs and edging the all-time rivalry. However, Tipp have the edge in National League meetings, winning 19 of the 34 contested (55.8%).

Cork haven’t beaten Tipp in the league since February 2020, although the latter played outside Division 1A between 2021 and 2024.

Although both teams boast potent attacks, Cork have a far greater goal threat. This was evident during the divisional final last April, when the Rebels scored three goals to nil to help secure a 10-point win. Cork are also renowned for their fast starts at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and we’re tipping them to edge what’s sure to be a highly competitive match.

Waterford v Offaly Predictions - TG4, 1.45pm Sunday 8th February, Walsh Park

Both sides earned promotion from Division 1B last season, although it was Waterford that won the divisional final in Cork. The Déise dominated much of the showpiece game, and it was only a late Offaly rally that gave the eventual scoreline a veneer of respectability.

Just two weeks earlier, Waterford had also defeated the Faithful County in their Allianz National League meeting. This saw the Déise deliver another authoritative performance, while their talismanic forward Stephen Bennett went 0-12 in both matches.

Bennett (1-49) and Padraig Fitzgerald (0-25) contributed 77 points for Waterford last season and form part of a balanced and well-rounded offensive unit. Offaly lack the same depth in attack, and they may find it difficult to breach Waterford’s excellent defensive shape.

Ultimately, this should be a tight and competitive match, and we’re tipping Waterford to claim an eighth successive National League win over Offaly since April 1st, 2007.

Limerick v Kilkenny Predictions - TG4, 3.45pm Sunday 8th February, TUS Gaelic Grounds

We’ve already touched on Limerick’s mixed league form in 2025, which included a nine-point defeat to Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. The Cats have now won 20 of the 34 National League games they’ve played against Limerick (58.8%), and 130 of the 181 head-to-head clashes in all competitions (71.8%).

Reid (0-10) and Martin Keoghan (0-7) starred for Kilkenny in last season’s encounter, although the Treaty County were without Aaron Gillane through injury.

Despite their win over Limerick, the Cats were also inconsistent in 2025, losing two of their three home matches in the league and three overall. Still, they have a little more firepower than their rivals, with Limerick scoring just three goals in six matches in their 2025 league campaign.

Kilkenny will be the narrow favourites to edge this one, despite home advantage favouring the Treaty County. However, we’d recommend that you back them to win outright without applying any kind of handicap.

Tipperary v Limerick Predictions - TG4, 5.30pm Saturday 21st February, FBD Semple Stadium

Tipp were imperious at home in 2025, avoiding defeat at Semple Stadium in both the National League and the All-Ireland competition. This run included three victories in the Allianz League, although these were close and achieved by a combined margin of 11 points.

These two sides have been evenly matched in the National League, with Limerick winning 16 of the 35 matches contested (45.7%). Tipp have prevailed in the other 19 matches, but they were defeated by the Shannonsiders at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in last season’s league encounter.

This saw Limerick produce a determined and disciplined display in the second half, with Diarmaid Byrnes (0-7), Aidan O'Connor (0-5) and Gillane (0-4) contributing 16 points in total.

A similar level of commitment and organisation will be required again in Thurles, especially if forward Darragh McCarthy continues his brilliant 2025 form. Home advantage should give Tipp a decisive edge, so consider backing them to win, or Limerick with a narrow + handicap.

Kilkenny v Waterford Predictions - TG4, 1.45pm Sunday 22nd February, UPMC Nowlan Park

Kilkenny won their last National League game against Waterford in March 2024, with TJ Reid scoring 0-8 as the Cats prevailed narrowly by three points. This was their 20th Allianz League win in 24 attempts against Waterford, creating an impressive win rate of 83.3%.

As one of hurling’s big three sides, Kilkenny have dominated the historic head-to-head against Waterford too. In fact, they’ve lost just 15 of the 145 games contested in all competitions, so history is definitely against the Déise in this fixture.

As we’ve touched on, Waterford will be well organised and competitive against the Cats, while they performed well in reaching the final of the recent Munster Hurling League. This saw them tie with Tipperary and ultimately reach the final, before a narrow loss to John Kiely’s Limerick.

Overall, Kilkenny are deserved favourites here and our pick for the win. Once again, however, there may be value in backing Waterford with a narrow + handicap. Read our bookmaker reviews to find a sportsbook offering competitive odds for these events.

Offaly v Galway Predictions - TG4, 2.00pm Sunday 22nd February, St Brendan's Park, Birr

Offaly will be the underdogs in this season’s Division 1A, having spent just two of the previous 12 campaigns in the Allianz top flight. However, the Faithful were unbeaten at home in Division 1B last season, while they suffered a single defeat in front of their own fans in the Leinster Hurling Championship in 2025.

However, this was a 14-point reversal at the hands of Galway, who overcame a sluggish start to deliver a comprehensive victory. Left centre-forward Cathal Mannion starred for the Tribesmen, scoring 2-8 and contributing 14 points overall.

These two sides enjoyed a ferocious rivalry during the 1980s, during which Offaly won two of their four All-Ireland senior titles. As a result, this fixture remains popular among fans, and the Faithful County will look to leverage a fervent home support and their top marksman, Brian Duignan, to secure the win here.

However, Offaly are heavily reliant on Duignan and can occasionally struggle for goals, while their opponents can call on Evan Niland, Conor Cooney, and the Mannion in attack. So, we’re tipping the Tribesmen to prevail, potentially with a small handicap.