Preview- Kilkenny hurling league action set for big throw-in

The inter-county season has come and gone, and now all the focus is on the upcoming club league and championship campaign which throws-in later this week.

After the disappointment of Kilkenny’s narrow loss to subsequent All-Ireland winners Tipperary earlier this month, appetite will be high as clubs get set for a relentless schedule of games in the next few weeks.

It begins on Thursday evening, where there will be plenty of eyes on Thomastown GAA as Shamrocks Ballyhale and Bennettsbridge meet in a game that will mark the return of legendary figure Henry Shefflin to the Ballyhale dugout.

Group A

The opening senior league clash looked an appealing one anyway but Shefflin’s involvement will only increase the watchful eyes and the 45 year-old will be hoping his second term as manager with the club can replicate his first where he helped the South Kilkenny side to a pair of Kilkenny, Leinster and All-Ireland titles.

The most successful side in Kilkenny club hurling will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2024 season that saw them knocked out of the championship at the quarter-final stage, and Bennettsbridge will certainly give them a good early test.

Elsewhere in Group A of the St Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League, there are big hitters in the shape of the city pair of Dicksboro and O’Loughlin Gaels, as well as Glenmore and reigning Intermediate champions Lisdowney.

All six clubs will be hoping to escape the battle for the drop and as last year proved, anything can happen when it comes to knockout hurling so it will be all to play for.

On one hand, there is Lisdowney who will be hoping to make a bigger mark than they did the last time they were at this level.

On the other hand you have the likes of the ‘Boro and O’Loughlins who will both be hoping to be in contention at the latter stage of the championship.

The ‘Boro on more than one occasion have caught the eye in the opening few weeks of the league and they’ve once again hit the ground running after defeating Tullaroan in the Byrne Cup Final a couple of weeks ago.

O’Loughlin’s go into the year as the defending league champions and they will ceratinly feel like they have a point to prove on the back of their disappointing display against Thomastown in the county final.

Group B

Like Group A, the second batch of teams should ensure a competitive series of games and it kicks off with a real bang as Thomastown meet Tullaroan in the tie of the round in Callan on Saturday evening.

Thomastown come into the season on the back of successive intermediate and senior county wins and while the pressure may have been off them somewhat last term, there will be no surprises this time around.

Unlike a year ago where the only Kilkenny representatives were John Donnelly and Zach Bay Hammond, it was a different story this time around with Noel Doherty (Selector) and Peter McDonald, Stephen Donnelly, Luke Connellan and Peter Connellan all available on the field of play to the Kilkenny senior team.

A big positive for the champions will be Noel Doherty’s return to the sideline after he was forced to watch the knockout stages of last year’s campaign from afar.

Tullaroan will provide a big early test this weekend of their credentials and it will be interesting to see if they are capable of backing up their historic success in 2024.

The rest of the group is made up of Clara, Graigue Ballycallan, Mullinavat and Erin’s Own where the number 1 objective will be to try and avoid finishing in the bottom two positions.

‘Comer have flirted with relegation over the past few seasons but have always found a way to survive and with a decent crop of youngsters coming through, they will hope to improve again and they will need to as Mullinavat made the semi-finals last year while Clara and Ballycallan are always competing in and around the knockout stages too.

Intermediate

The Intermediate grade has an open feel to it under normal circumstances but this year has a different feel to it with James Stephens competing at the grade for the first time ever.

The Village will be big favourites to land the Hanrahan Cup but in the likes of Tullogher-Rosbercon, Mooncoin and Young Irelands amongst others, there is a number of contenders hoping to take their scalp.

Add in the return to intermediate of St Lachtain’s and a fascinating few weeks of action awaits.