ANTRIM The stars have aligned for Antrim this year. When it comes to the summer they’ve got the Leinster Championship to look forward to, while they’re in a League section that won’t overawe them. This time a couple of big days where they raise their game against a beatable big boy could see them into a division final with the chance of promotion. Of course, that’s dependent on them winning games they should – the matches with Down, Kerry, Laois, Westmeath and Kerry.
They could do with the Cushendall players for the entire campaign, though they should at least be back for the two vital away games that round off the League in Laois and Offaly.
Wexford and Offaly are clear favourites to reach the divisional final, and it’s up to the Saffrons to upset one or the other, with Wexford at home looking the best chance. As previously stated, however, Dominic McKinley and Terence McNaughton’s side must ensure they don’t get caught looking forward to the Wexford and Offaly games on trips to Down and Laois the round before those big matches. Odds to win Division Two: 20/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Westmeath (h); Sunday, February 15: Down (a); Sunday, March 1: Wexford (h); Sunday, March 22: Carlow (a); Sunday, March 29:
Kerry (h); Sunday, April 5: Laois (a); Sunday, April 19: Offaly (a)
CARLOW THE Barrowsiders were surprise winners of the Christy Ring Cup last season after a thrilling, extra-time final win over Westmeath, but their defeat to the same opposition in last weekend’s Kehoe Cup final, showed up plenty of problems for manager Kevin Ryan as they prepare to face Offaly this weekend.
The Waterford man bemoaned his side’s lack of fitness, something that Offaly will be able to exploit handsomely on Sunday.
Although a lot of that sluggishness can be put down to the fact they weren’t long back from a holiday in New York, the higher quality of Division Two this year means there won’t be room for slow starts. Carlow should stay up, and will want to reassert their position in front of Westmeath ahead of the Christy Ring Cup. Odds to win Division Two: 80/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Offaly (a); Saturday, February 14: Kerry (h); Sunday, March 1: Laois (a); Sunday, March 22: Antrim (h); Saturday, March 28: Westmeath (a); Sunday, April 5: Down (h); Sunday, April 19: Wexford (a)
DOWN THE home match against Antrim is an obvious target and, though they will relish a crack at Offaly and Wexford in the Ards, having more winnable games against Westmeath, Laois or Carlow at home probably would have suited them better.
The priority has to be staying up, and, with just one team being relegated, they should be able to achieve that by beating Kerry at home in their last game.
Safety, some solid displays, and an injury-free campaign for Paul Braniff (right), the one player Down have capable of producing some real magic, would count as a good spring for Jim McKernan. Odds to win Division Two: 100/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Laois (a); Sunday, February 15: Antrim (h); Sunday, March 1: Westmeath (a); Sunday, March 22: Offaly (h); Sunday, March 29: Wexford (h); Sunday, April 5: Carlow (a); Sunday, April 19: Kerry (h)
KERRY The Kingdom’s uphill struggle for survival begins against division favourites Wexford which, though at home, could get ugly if the visitors are in serious mood. Kerry are big favourites to go down, and to avoid it they will probably need to go to Down and win in the final round of fixtures.
Former Limerick star Mossie Carroll is in charge of Kerry’s fortunes this year and, truthfully, the best he can hope for is to catch either Carlow on the first day, or Down on the last, napping.
The fact both those games are away from home just compounds the Kingdom’s predicament, and it would be a big surprise if they survive. Odds to win Division Two: 500/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Wexford (h); Saturday, February 14: Carlow (a); Sunday, March 1: Offaly (a); Sunday, March 22: Laois (h); Sunday, March 29: Antrim (a); Sunday, April 5: Westmeath (h); Sunday, April 19: Down (a)
LAOIS LAST year they stunned Offaly in the League, and a repeat performance would throw the Division Two race wide open.
Niall Rigney’s side need to find a scoring threat outside of James Young frees, especially as he is still out injured. His absence in last year’s Championship clash with Offaly contributed to the hiding Laois got. They just can’t afford to field anything less than their strongest team when they face the better sides. The home clash with Antrim in the penultimate round of games could be the defining one for the O’Moore county. Odds to win Division Two: 40/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Down (h); Sunday, February 15: Wexford (a); Sunday, March 1: Carlow (h); Sunday, March 22: Kerry (a); Sunday, March 29: Offaly (a); Sunday, April 5: Antrim (h); Sunday, April 19: Westmeath (a)
OFFALY OFFALY cried the loudest when the new League structure was announced, though their argument for inclusion in Division One didn’t get much more substantial than “because”.
Now they’re in Division Two and will, no doubt, be eyeing up a winner-takes-all final clash with Leinster rivals Wexford for promotion.
Four years ago, Offaly found themselves in Division Two and managed to negotiate their way out of it, though not before losing to Carlow. This is a more difficult section than that was, and similar complacency might cost them again, but under new manager Joe Dooley, the Faithful county should at least be fully focussed on the task in hand.
Their impressive Championship displays against Limerick and Waterford at the end of last summer showed what they are capable of and, with Birr not involved in the All-Ireland series this year, they look like the team to beat in Division Two. Odds to win Division Two: 5/4 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Carlow (h); Sunday, February 15: Westmeath (a); Sunday, March 1: Kerry (h); Sunday, March 22: Down (a); Sunday, March 29: Laois (h); Sunday, April 5: Wexford (a); Sunday, April 19: Antrim (h)
WESTMEATH WHILE Offaly may be unhappy about the League structure, it’s the Championship changes that have Westmeath annoyed, as they’ve seen Antrim and Galway parachuted into Leinster while they have been denied the chance to play in their own provincial Championship.
Eamonn Gallagher’s side have begun the season in good form, though easing through the Kehoe Cup where they beat Wicklow, DCU and Carlow won’t matter a bit when they step up in class against Antrim on Sunday.
The priority for the Lake county is to avoid getting dragged into a relegation fight and, with Kerry and Down in the division, they should do that comfortably. Odds to win Division Two: 40/1 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Antrim (a); Sunday, February 15: Offaly (h); Sunday, March 1: Down (h); Sunday, March 22: Wexford (a); Saturday, March 28: Carlow (h) Sunday, April 5: Kerry (a); Sunday, April 19: Laois (h);
WEXFORD LIKE Offaly, they will feel that being denied games against the big boys is beneath them but, like Offaly, they’ll have to prove it.
They won’t relish the trip to Antrim after being well-beaten in Dunloy last year, though they’ll welcome the fact the game is in Casement Park rather than in the more claustrophobic confines of a north Antrim venue.
On that subject, they struggled the last time they had to travel to Down, and face a trip to the Ards again this year.
After the off-season that saw John Myler ousted thanks to ‘player power’ the Yellowbellies are under pressure to make an impact.
Manager Colm Bonner has signalled his intention to take every game in the division seriously by naming a fairly experienced line-up for their opener against Kerry, a game Wexford are 1/200 to win.
The minimum expected of the National League campaign is a Division Two title, and while they’ll probably hand out a few hidings to the likes of Kerry, Westmeath and Carlow, the main Wexford focus is likely to be on Antrim on the first day of March. Odds to win Division Two: 4/7 Fixtures: Sunday, February 8: Kerry (a); Sunday, February 15: Laois (h); Sunday, March 1: Antrim (a); Sunday, March 22: Westmeath (h); Sunday, March 29: Down (a); Sunday, April 5: Offaly (h); Sunday, April 19: Carlow (h)
ANTRIM
CARLOW
DOWN
KERRY
LAOIS
OFFALY
WESTMEATH
WEXFORD
