ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
DIVISION 3A
ARMAGH
Manager: Pádraig O’Connor
Last year: Fifth in Division 2B (relegated following play-off)
THE Orchard county hurlers had what could rightly be described as an annus horribilis in 2018.
Relegated from Division 2B after losing a basement play-off with Derry, they then proceeded to finish bottom of their Christy Ring Cup group, ensuring they will be playing Nicky Rackard hurling this summer.
This season began on a similar note for Pádraig O’Connor’s men when they lost by a whopping 19 points to Jordanstown in the opening game of the Conor McGurk Cup before Christmas.
That run of poor results was turned on its head three weeks ago, however, when a new-look side cantered to victory over Tyrone at the Dub in their second and final McGurk Cup game.
Ruairí Fullerton, Danny Magee and Stevie Renaghan looked lively for Armagh in both those games and their scores could be important in any push for immediate promotion back to Division 2B.
First fixture: Sun Jan 27: Monaghan v Armagh, Inniskeen, 12.30pm
MONAGHAN
Manager: Trevor Hilliard
Last year: Fifth in Division 3A
MONAGHAN may have finished second bottom of Division 3A last year, but they were never in danger of relegation thanks to the awful form of Longford, who suffered a whitewash of a campaign.
The Farney county’s only win in the division may have come against the hapless Midlanders, but they also picked up draws against Roscommon and Louth and they never lost a game by more than four points in what was an encouraging campaign.
They brought this form with them into the Nicky Rackard Cup, where they qualified from their group, losing to eventual winners Donegal at the semi-final stages.
If they are to make an impact in Division 3A this year, they will again need the influence of Feargal Rafter, who hit 0-45 in last year’s league campaign, and Éamonn Collins, who was their standout performer in the Nicky Rackard Cup run.
First fixture: Sun Jan 27: Monaghan v Armagh, Inniskeen, 12.30pm
TYRONE
Manager: Mattie Lennon
Last year: Third in Division 3A
THE Red Hand hurlers had a respectable 2018, finishing third in Division 3A and reaching the semi-finals of the Nicky Rackard Cup, where they lost to Warwickshire.
Damian Casey was, undoubtedly, their player of the year, top scoring in all but two of Tyrone’s competitive games over the course of both competitions.
Casey picked up where he left off in the Conor McGurk Cup last month, hitting 10 points in the loss to Armagh, albeit with a seriously weakened squad.
They finished bottom of their McGurk Cup group thanks a second defeat, this time to Ulster University, but manager Mattie Lennon won’t have been unduly concerned by this.
With their first choice panel available and match fit, Tyrone should have a productive Division 3A campaign and a promotion tilt is not out of the question.
First fixture: Saturday Jan 26: Lancashire v Tyrone, Abbottstown, 2pm
DIVISION 3B
CAVAN
Manager: Michael Carr
Last year: Fourth in Division 3B
IN THEIR first term back in senior hurling for seven years, Cavan avoided the wooden spoon in Division 3B, finishing fourth out of five with a win and two points to their name.
That win came against eventual basement side Fermanagh and the Breffni men suffered badly in their other assignments, losing heavily to the likes of Sligo and Leitrim.
Michael Carr’s side got their own back on the Yeats county in the Lory Meagher Cup, however, beating them by 12 points to again finish above Fermanagh in their group.
With a year’s competitive hurling under their belt, this Cavan side can be aiming for a solid league campaign and a mid-table finish.
The stars of last year – Seán Keating, John Sheanon and Cormac Walls – will again be key to their ambitions.
First fixture: Sun Jan 27: Cavan v Leitrim, Ballyconnell, 2pm
FERMANAGH
Managers: Seán Duffy & Karl Kehoe
Last year: Bottom of Division 3B
AFTER a year in which they finished rock bottom of the National Hurling League on zero points and repeated the tick with a last place finish in their Lory Meagher Cup group, the bar for improvement is low for Fermanagh’s hurlers in 2019.
Although they lost both their games in their Conor McGurk Cup group in recent weeks, the Erne men performed creditably against tough opponents in the shape of Down and Queen’s University Belfast.
Progress would come in the form of putting some points on the board early on in Division 3B.
With Lory Meagher Allstar Shea Curran taking over the captaincy from Ryan Bogue, Fermanagh will be hoping the winds of change can blow them up the table and away from the ignominy of another bottom of the league finish.
First fixture: Sligo v Fermanagh, Sligo GAA COE, 2pm
Saturday 26 January
Allianz HL Division 1A round 1
Tipperary v Clare, Semple Stadium, 7pm - eir sport 1
Allianz HL Division 1B round 1
Dublin v Carlow, Parnell Park, 7pm
Allianz HL Division 2A round 1
Antrim v Kerry, Corrigan Park, 2pm
Allianz HL Division 2B round 1
Warwickshire v Wicklow, Pairc na hEireann, 3pm
Down v Derry, Pairc Esler, 5pm
Allianz HL Division 3A round 1
Lancashire v Tyrone, Abbottstown, 2pm
Sunday 27 January
Allianz FL Division 1 round 1
Kerry v Tyrone, Fitzgerald Stadium, 2pm
Monaghan v Dublin, Clones, 2pm - TG4
Galway v Cavan, Pearse Stadium, 2.30pm
Allianz FL Division 2 round 1
Clare v Donegal, Cusack Park, 2pm
Fermanagh v Cork, Brewster Park, 2pm
Kildare v Armagh, Newbridge, 2pm
Meath v Tipperary, Pairc Tailteann, 2pm
Allianz FL Division 3 round 1
Carlow v Sligo, Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm
Offaly v Westmeath, O'Connor Park, 2pm
Louth v Longford, Drogheda, 2.30pm
Allianz FL Division 4 round 1
Leitrim v Wexford, Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, 2pm
London v Limerick, McGovern Park, 2pm
Antrim v Derry, Corrigan Park, 2pm
Allianz HL Division 1A round 1
Kilkenny v Cork, Nowlan Park, 2pm
Wexford v Limerick, Innovate Wexford Park, 2pm - TG4 (deferred coverage)
Allianz HL Division 1B round 1
Galway v Laois, Pearse Stadium, 12.30pm
Waterford v Offaly, Semple Stadium, 2pm
Allianz HL Division 2A round 1
Westmeath v London, TEG Cusack Park, 1pm
Mayo v Meath, Tooreen, 2pm
Allianz HL Division 2B round 1
Donegal v Kildare, Letterkenny, 2pm
Allianz HL Division 3A round 1
Louth v Roscommon, Clan na Gael, Dundalk, 12.30pm
Monaghan v Armagh, Inniskeen, 12.30pm
Allianz HL Division 3B round 1
Cavan v Leitrim, Ballyconnell, 2pm
Sligo v Fermanagh, Sligo GAA COE, 2pm
