Munster clash steals show from Leinster new-boys

2009 PROVINCIAL HURLING AND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS:THE GAA championship draw in the darkening nights of October usually gets a curious, one-eyed glance before the main players resume their well deserved hibernation or never-ending club duties or preparation for an International Rules trip to Australia! (Okay, the GAA season never really sleeps).

But last night's draw ensured plenty of interested parties due to the entry of Antrim and Galway into a seven-team Leinster hurling championship in 2009.

With all eyes on the new hurling format, only a Waterford versus Limerick tie down in Munster could overshadow the entry of hurlers from the west and north into Leinster.

Sure enough, Limerick's new manager Justin McCarthy gets to pit his wits against the players who unceremoniously removed him midway through his seventh year in Deise-land.

With feet up in front of the television last night, McCarthy surely cracked a private smile when Munster chairman, and Waterford man Jimmy O'Gorman muttered "the one we wanted" when pulling the first two counties out of the drum.

What goes around comes around and all that.

That was one semi-final sorted out, leaving Clare to face the winners of the oldest, most vicious derby down south: an evolving Cork meet provincial champions Tipperary in the opening duel.

You could almost hear the wails of grief from those who still love the game of hurling down in Laois. Someone was going to crash head-on into the new heavyweights of Leinster hurling.

Galway that is, and possibly Ger Loughnane. The great Clare man's fate as manager for a third season will be decided tonight.

We asked Leinster Council secretary Michael Delaney about venues.

"Our understanding is all championship matches will be played in Leinster. The quarter-finals are always at neutral venues anyway, unless the teams can come to some arrangement."

Kilkenny have a bye into the semi-finals.

"Look it, if it's good for hurling fair enough," said Kilkenny midfielder Derek Lyng of the new opposition. "The fact that Galway and Antrim are two good teams will definitely make Leinster more competitive. At the same time, I thought Leinster was competitive already. I know a lot of people don't agree with that, but I think our toughest matches last year were against Offaly and Wexford."

That pair will take care of themselves in the opening round.

With all the focus on hurling it would have taken some massive football match-up in Leinster, Munster, Connacht or Ulster to grab some headlines.

Will Dublin and Meath suffice? New managers for both and a potential new dawn for whichever comes out of that old scrap.

How about a Kerry v Cork semi-final? With the seeding system in Munster football disbanded, one from Limerick, Tipperary and Clare have a chance of making it to the provincial final. Sorry Waterford.

And what about a reprise of the 2003 All-Ireland final and that spiteful 2005 All-Ireland semi-final? All-Ireland champions Tyrone get matters under way against the kings of Ulster, Armagh.

"I've a funny feeling that Armagh will be ready for this one," said Armagh man Jarlath Burns in the RTÉ studios.

Meanwhile, John Meyler rejected claims last night that it was a player push that resulted in his removal as Wexford hurling manager this week. Speaking last night on Newstalk's Off the Ball, Meyler said a number of players contacted him yesterday to distance themselves from the comments of anonymous players requesting his removal.

However, Meyler ruled out any chance of a return to the position.

"No, I'm gone. I don't wait around," said Meyler, who added he was willing to meet the panel, but only as a whole. "There is another agenda there. The county board chairman said there would be too much two-ing and fro-ing and said we'd leave it there now."