1. How will Kilkenny fare without some of their biggest names?
WHISPER IT QUIETLY, but could holders Kilkenny be facing a relegation battle in the Spring?
Boss Brian Cody has already predicted a “challenging” campaign for his champions, with a raft of retirements and injuries to contend with, along with the absence of the Ballyhale Shamrocks contingent. But the flipside is that Cody will get to run the rule over a number of players who otherwise might not have had the chance to impress.
Cody has historically rewarded players showing good League form with championship spots which gives fringe candidates the opportunity to stake a claim. But in such a competitive Division 1A, Cody will attempt to pick up valuable points along the way while also blooding potential new stars.
It’s a delicate balancing act yet Cody is the master of managing tricky situations. And with eight League titles already secured in his all-conquering term as manager, write off the Cats at your peril. Cody will feel that if he can somehow steer his charges into the knockout stages, returning players could yet spearhead a successful title defence. For now, steering clear of the bottom two is his immediate concern.
2. Can Tipperary bounce back from final defeats in the last two seasons?
With Kilkenny depleted, Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea will fancy his chances of finally collecting major silverware.
It’s O’Shea’s third, and final, season at the helm before handing over the reins to current assistant manager Michael Ryan. And the Premier County have come close to a major breakthrough during his tenure, losing the last two League deciders and, of course, the 2014 All-Ireland final replay to Kilkenny.
O’Shea’s squad has now evolved to such an extent that it is arguably the strongest he has ever had at his disposal. Competition for places is fierce in every line and O’Shea’s insistence on flexibility ensures that players can operate in a number of positions.
Captain Brendan Maher, for example, could play at half-back, half-forward or midfield. Full-back Paul Curran’s return to full fitness is another major fillip for O’Shea. Much will depend again on the form of All Stars Seamus Callanan, Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer in attack.
3. Are Cork ready to take the next step?
Cork were the very first winners of this competition but haven’t landed the League title since 1998. Since then, they’ve lost three finals, including the 2010 and 2012 deciders.
Having gained promotion from Division 1B last season, the Rebels will be anxious to hit the ground running and they have a great chance of collecting maximum points against Kilkenny at the weekend. Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s charges host Clare a week later before visits to Dublin and Galway. A final home fixture against Tipperary should draw a big crowd and could turn out to be a crucial tie in the quest for a top-four finish.
As reigning Munster champions, and with Aidan Walsh now fully committed to hurling only, this is a big chance for Cork to push on and quickly get rid of the hangover from last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat against Tipperary. Cork have already made early-season progress by reaching a Waterford Crystal Cup final but JBM has bigger fish to fry.
This is a big year for Cork in terms of their progression but they now have the artillery at their disposal to make a big impact.
4. How will Galway cope without Joe Canning?
For too long now, Galway have been over-reliant on the sharpshooting skills of Joe Canning. If Canning plays well, there’s a good chance that Galway will. If he doesn’t, well, you know the rest.
Canning’s broken finger has ruled him out of the vast majority of the Allianz League campaign but that could be a good thing for boss Anthony Cunningham. It’s up to Galway’s other forwards to step up to the plate and take over scoring responsibilities from not only Canning, but also his retired Portumna clubmate Damien Hayes.
Jason Flynn has the chance to build on his impressive early-season form by producing a string of good League performances. Flynn bagged 0-11 in the Walsh Cup final victory over Dublin while Cunningham will also look to James Regan and Padraig Brehony for attacking impetus. Corner back Padraig Mannion is another player tipped for big things and will look to nail down a regular place in the Galway team as the season progresses.
Notoriously unpredictable Galway were beaten League semi-finalists last year and last won the League title in 2010.
5. Can Limerick finally get out of Division 1B?
TJ Ryan’s Limerick are preparing for a fifth season of life outside of hurling’s top tier. But the Shannonsiders have been impressive so far in 2015 and recently won their first Waterford Crystal Cup title since 2006.
From the outside looking in, Limerick hurling is very much on the rise. The county’s minors have won the last two Munster titles and while Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick and Limerick IT are littered with stars from various counties, the progression of these teams in the Fitzgibbon Cup is important for Limerick.
Ryan’s voyage to last year’s All-Ireland semi-final was rewarded with a fresh three-year term and this sense of continuity is vital in a county littered with a history of unrest and managerial upheaval. But at this point in time, Limerick’s ducks are very much in a row with a nucleus of players in their early to mid-20s hitting their best years.
For their long-term progression, Limerick badly need to get out of Division 1B and while it can be argued that second tier hurling hasn’t done them any harm over the past two seasons in particular, maybe that extra edge of playing the top teams could have helped them over the line against the Cats last August, when they were desperately close.
6. How will Dublin adapt to life under new management?
It was unfortunate for Anthony Daly and Dublin hurling that his tenure ended in limp fashion against Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final. Daly’s six years as Sky Blues boss can generally be described as successful, with a landmark Allianz League final victory over Kilkenny followed up with an historic Leinster title success two years later.
But maybe a new broom will sweep clean and re-energise a squad that is still laced with plenty of class. Former Cork coach Ger Cunningham is taking his first steps as a senior intercounty manager in his own right but he’s planning without retired Stephen Hiney and Alan McCrabbe has opted out.
Those are two big losses to Cunningham but Conal Keaney, Liam Rushe and Peter Kelly remain real leaders within the group. Dublin fans will wonder if that memorable march to an All-Ireland semi-final against Cork in 2013, when Ryan O’Dwyer’s red card proved costly, was as good as will get for this generation of players.
But Cunningham obviously saw enough to suggest that the Dublin job was one worth taking. They are tipped for a relegation struggle, however, and after contesting a Leinster final in 2014, could Dublin and Kilkenny now be in line for a shootout to retain Division 1A status for 2016?
