THE PUSH FOR DIVISION 1 HURLING: HOW TEAMS ARE LIKELY TO FARE
CARLOW
MANAGER: Tom Mullally (4th season)
LAST SEASON: 4th (W2 L3) FIXTURES: (A) Kerry, (H) Meath, (A) Laois, (H) Down, (A) Kildare
PREDICTION: The emphasis was very much on championship last year as Carlow struggled early on so it will be interesting to see if Tom Mullally adopts a similar approach — 3rd
DOWN
MANAGER: Ronan Sheehan (right, 7th season)
LAST SEASON: 5th (D1 L4) FIXTURES: (A) Laois, (H) Kerry (H) Kildare (A) Carlow (H) Meath
PREDICTION: As a barometer of how Down can raise their game, just look back to the famous Christy Ring Cup victory over Offaly or the fact they ran the same opposition to a single score last year — it’s just that consistency remains elusive — 5th
KERRY
MANAGER: Stephen Molumphy (3rd season)
LAST SEASON: 3rd (W3 L2)
FIXTURES: (H) Carlow, (A) Down (H) Meath, (A) Kildare (A) Laois
PREDICTION: Entering the Munster Hurling League is one way of getting up to speed quickly and a player like Fionán Mackessy is the type to build a team around — 2nd
LAOIS
MANAGER: Willie Maher (2nd season) LAST SEASON: 6th Div1 Group B (W0 L6)
FIXTURES: (H) Down, (A) Kildare, (H) Carlow, (A) Meath (H) Kerry
PREDICTION: Laois were combative and competitive for much of last year’s Division 1 campaign and will have high ambitions here — 1st
MEATH
MANAGER: Seoirse Bulfin (2nd season) LAST SEASON: 1st Div 2B (W6 L0)
FIXTURES: (H) Kildare, (A) Carlow, (A) Kerry, (H) Laois, (A) Meath
PREDICTION: A successful 2023 saw League promotion and the Christy Ring Cup secured — two important stepping stones, but this is another step up — 6th
KILDARE
MANAGER: Brian Dowling (1st season)
LAST SEASON: 1st, lost promotion play-off (W4 D1 L1)
FIXTURES: (A) Meath (H) Laois, (A) Down, (H) Kerry (H) Carlow
PREDICTION: It was tough last year for Kildare to top the group and then miss out agonisingly on promotion to Division 1 after losing the play-off to Offaly. Dowling brings a vast range of experience after the strides made under David Herity — 4th