DIVISION ONE: The Allianz National Hurling League gets underway with its optimum configuration – properly hierarchical divisions – in place for the first time in 12 years. The relevance of the league title in recent years has been largely tied to Kilkenny's intentions and this decade the county has knocked off three doubles.
The need to create pressure for places will again drive the All-Ireland champions, who will manage without the Ballyhale players until the end of this month at least, but whose strength-in-depth will make that period usefully instructive.
Galway have encountered so many false dawns in the league since last winning the All-Ireland 21 years ago that the county has become ambivalent about the competition. But it would be an encouraging start to John McIntyre’s management tenure, which already has the advantage of the move into Leinster and the consequent chance to have non-fatal contact with Kilkenny. Like Kilkenny, Galway’s task is complicated by All-Ireland club commitments.
Clare are the other side in the competition for whom outright success would be welcome, a timely development of what was a much improved championship season last year. Michael McNamara is alone among the likely contenders’ managers to have a reasonably strong pick available.
Waterford and Tipperary square up tomorrow, but both have a long list of absentees. The All-Ireland finalists have long-term injuries as well as the involvement of De La Salle in the club All-Ireland whereas NHL holders Tipperary are missing about half the team that won Munster in 2008. Manager Liam Sheedy has also stated that the competition won’t be quite the priority that they made it last season.
New Limerick manager Justin McCarthy is another whose pre-season comments have been lukewarm, but he won’t want his teams taking a tumble either so the trawl for new players will have to keep one eye on the points total.
Dublin are the third team in the division with a new manager and Anthony Daly is faced with the need to win at least two matches if the team are to stay in the top flight. Not yet at full strength, the team, nonetheless, has to start well tomorrow.
As things stand, the Cork situation is complicating the division, but not to the extent of last season when matches were forfeited. With a fourth- or fifth-best team in action, it’s impossible to see Gerald McCarthy’s side escaping relegation.
Division Two
The re-introduction of eight-team divisions one and two has made the second tier more demanding. Although neither Offaly nor Wexford will welcome their status, the quality of matches will be superior to what Offaly contended with four years ago when a season in the old Division Two left them wide open to a 31-point beating by Kilkenny in the championship.
The two Leinster counties will be favourites to bounce back up the ladder with the main challengers also coming from Laois and Antrim.
Carlow and Westmeath, the two most recent Christy Ring Cup winners, will hope to be competitive against the top teams, but will also be capable of picking up points, as Carlow did at Offaly’s expense in 2005. Westmeath have an edge with four home matches whereas Carlow have three.
The two counties most likely to drop as things stand are Down and Kerry. The Ulster side have to travel to both Carlow and Westmeath, which makes picking up points that bit more difficult, whereas Kerry are still rebuilding and will struggle to stay with the pace.
2009 NHL
Division One
