GAA: Route to All-Ireland Championships begins this weekend

Championship season is set to swing into action this weekend with the commencement of the provincial hurling and football tournaments.

It is a weekend packed with hurling as the Munster and Leinster championships get going.

Meanwhile, on the football side of the house, a preliminary round in the Ulster Football Championship and quarter-finals in the Connacht Football Championship will also feature.

There should be no shortage of @gaaleinster and @MunsterGAA SHC drama this weekend

— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 15, 2022

This year's All Ireland Football Championship will be structured differently with the introduction of the Tailteann Cup.

The new football championship format is linked to the league, seeing all counties from Division Three and Division Four contest the Tailteann Cup (unless any of these counties qualify for their provincial final), while counties from Division One and Division Two compete for the Sam Maguire as normal.

However, preliminary rounds of the Tailteann Cup are not scheduled until the end of May.

Here are all the fixtures you need to know for this weekend...

Round one of the Leinster Hurling Championship will get underway on Saturday. Hurling fans are in for a treat with three fixtures scheduled.

First up, Wexford take on Galway at 4.30pm in Chadwicks Wexford Park. The game will be televised on Sky Sports Arena with coverage starting from 4pm.

At 6pm, Westmeath take on defending provincial champions, Kilkenny, in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, while the last game of the evening will see Dublin battle it out with Laois at 6.30pm in Parnell Park.

In what will be an exciting Easter Sunday, round one of the Munster Hurling Championship commences with two games being televised.

Hot off the back of