The dust has only settled on the summer championship fare and already we're gazing towards next year, with the fixture list revealed for the 2020 provincial championships, as well as the Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher competitions.

All-Ireland champions Tipperary open their 2020 Munster campaign away to Waterford on 10 May. Cork and Munster holders Limerick will clash on the same weekend.

Once again, some teams will face more demanding schedules than others.

Both Clare and Cork will play the final three rounds of this round-robin provincial championship on consecutive weekends. That will be three games in the space of 14 or 15 days.

The notion of changing the fixtures system has been rejected.

"Everything was considered this year," said Munster GAA chairman Liam Lenihan.

"If we changed it to the Leinster model, you'd only have two games in a row. But all five counties came back and said they wanted the draw that was there.

"I'd say it was to make room for the club championships as well. It goes around. The draw is done from 2018 to 2022 and everybody gets the three games (in a row) at one stage or another. The counties considered it and they said it was fair."

After a bye in the opening round, Davy Fitzgerald's Wexford will open the defence of their Leinster title on the weekend of 16/17 May against Mattie Kenny's Dubs.

Newly promoted Laois will take on Galway on the weekend of 9/10 May.

The big debate in Leinster is whether their competition should be expanded.

"Increasing it to six counties was bandied about, and we also looked at two groups of four at one stage," said Leinster chairman Jim Bolger.

"Perhaps that's something for the future.

"I do feel six would work for us but we have to be careful that we don't undermine the Joe McDonagh Cup and the other competitions as well. We have to look at the entire structure."

For now, it is what it is, and we can look forward to a series of blockbusting provincial encounters that promise to ignite the early summer.

2020 MUNSTER SHC

Round 1, 9/10 May

Cork v Limerick

Waterford v Tipperary

Clare Bye

Round 2, 16/17 May

Limerick v Waterford

Tipperary v Clare

Cork Bye

Round 3, 30/31 May

Clare v Limerick

Waterford v Cork

Tipperary Bye

Round 4, 6/7 June

Cork v Clare

Limerick v Tipperary

Waterford Bye

Round 5, 13/14 June

Tipperary v Cork

Clare v Waterford

Limerick Bye

LEINSTER SHC

Round 1, 9/10 May

Dublin v Kilkenny

Laois v Galway

Wexford Bye

Round 2, 16/17 May

Kilkenny v Laois

Wexford v Dublin

Galway Bye

Round 3A, 23/24 May

Wexford v Galway

Round 3B, 30/31 May

Dublin v Laois

Round 4, 6/7 June

Laois v Wexford

Galway v Kilkenny

Dublin Bye

Round 5, 13/14 June

Kilkenny v Wexford

Galway v Dublin

Laois Bye

JOE McDONAGH CUP

Round 1

Antrim v Westmeath

Kerry v Meath

Carlow Bye

Round 2

Westmeath v Kerry

Carlow v Antrim

Meath Bye

Round 3A

Carlow v Meath

Westmeath Bye

Antrim and Kerry Free

Round 3B

Antrim v Kerry

Westmeath, Carlow, Meath Free

Round 4

Kerry v Carlow

Meath v Westmeath

Antrim Bye

Round 5

Westmeath v Carlow

Meath v Antrim

Kerry Bye

CHRISTY RING CUP

Group 1 - Round 1

Offaly v Derry

Sligo v Wicklow

Round 2

Wicklow v Offaly

Derry v Sligo

Round 3

Offaly v Sligo

Wicklow v Derry

Group 2 - Round 1

Roscommon v Kildare

Down v London

Round 2

London v Roscommon

Kildare v Down

Round 3

Roscommon v Down

London v Kildare

NICKY RACKARD CUP

Group 1 - Round 1

Armagh v Donegal

Leitrim v Longford

Round 2

Longford v Armagh

Donegal v Leitrim

Round 3

Armagh v Leitrim

Longford v Donegal

Group 2 - Round 1

Mayo v Warwickshire

Tyrone v Monaghan

Round 2

Monaghan v Mayo

Warwickshire v Tyrone

Round 3

Mayo v Tyrone

Monaghan v Warwickshire

LORY MEAGHER CUP

Round 1

Cavan v Lancashire

Louth v Fermanagh

Round 2

Fermanagh v Cavan

Lancashire v Louth

Round 3

Cavan v Louth

Fermanagh v Lancashire