Starts this weekend with some interesting games in 1A and 1B.
In 1A with there being a credible threat of relegation for some of the top sides they will have to approach the opening couple of games with in the right frame of mind. With any 4 of Galway, Cork, Waterford and Dublin likely to be sucked into the drop zone, while in 1B all four of Wexford, Ofaaly, Clare and Limerick will be looking for promotion while Laois and Antrim will be looking to spring a surprise early on to give their survival chances a big boost.
Given that three of the six sides in 1A are in transition and with new managers at the helm you would feel that it is between Tipp and Kilkenny for the league title, with Kilkenny probably being worthy favourites as Tipp will surely look to blood some inexperienced players to try and get a bit more depth to their panel. Have the feeling it could well be between Galway and Waterford for relegation.
Cork (SH v Waterford): D Ă“ Cusack; B Murphy; S McDonnell, S O’Neill; J Gardiner, R Cashman, W Egan; S Ă“ hAillpĂn, D Sweetnam; C Lehane, P Cronin, C Naughton; P Horgan, P O’Sullivan, B O’Connor.
is it. Only two players who haven’t hurled senioer I/C championship in Cashman and Sweetnam. Take Lehane out of the forwards and Cashman out of the backs and there is plenty of intercounty experience there
McDonnell and Egan were regulars in the side last year. 10 of that team are very experienced I/C hurlers at this stage, some with over a decades experience while even the likes of Cronin, Horgan, O’Sullivan, Naughton etc are there 4 years or more now