Busy start to the 2023 season for Kilkenny hurlers

Derek Lyng’s tenure as the new Kilkenny senior hurling manager will begin with a trio of game’s in next month’s Walsh Cup.

The Cats have won the Leinster pre-season competition on 20 occasions but they haven’t even reached the final since 2018.

Kilkenny have been placed in a four team group alongside Laois, Offaly and last year’s finalists Wexford while the other section is made up of 2022 winners Dublin, Galway, Westmeath and Antrim.

The competition begins on the second weekend in January with Kilkenny scheduled to meet Offaly at a home venue on Sunday, January 8.

Derek Lyng’s team will then meet Laois away a week later before all eyes will be on Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday, January 21 as Kilkenny travel to meet the Model County in what is bound to be a memorable occasion with it being the official opening of a new set of floodlights at the Wexford town venue.

The two Leinster rivals met in an entertaining draw during last year’s competition so a big crowd will be expected to attend.

The top two teams in each group will then subsequently advance to the Walsh Cup decider which like in 2022 will take place in Croke Park.

GAA HQ will host the provincial pre-season final on Saturday, January 28 where the game will throw-in at 3pm and the game will serve as the curtain raiser to the Allianz National Football League Division 2 meeting between Dublin and Kildare.

The Allianz National Hurling League gets into gear a week after the Walsh Cup Final and will be run under the same structure as recent seasons with 12 teams taking their place in Division 1 with six teams apiece in section A and B.

Division 1A will consist of All-Ireland winners Limerick, Cork, Clare, Wexford, Westmeath and Galway.

Division 1B will then include Kilkenny, league champions Waterford, Tipperary, Dublin, Laois and Antrim.

The league clashes haven’t been officially released as of yet but Kilkenny do know that they will face trips to Walsh Park, O’Moore Park and Corrigan Park for away meetings with Waterford , Laois and Antrim.

The Cats will then have two home games in UPMC Nowlan Park with Dublin and Tipperary travelling to the Marble City.

Unlike in 2022, when Kilkenny made the league semi-finals before losing to Cork, the congested intercounty season means that the semi-finals have been abolished with a straight final involving the top side in the two sections.

The Leinster hurling championship fixtures have also been provisionally released with the defending provincial champions beginning with two home games against Westmeath and Galway.

The Cats then meet Antrim away for the second time in 2023 in round three before another home game to Dublin.

As has been the case in recent years Kilkenny and Wexford will round off the Leinster round-robin series with a trip to Wexford Park.

Kilkenny are currently working away with an extended training squad but Derek Lyng knows he will have to do without James Maher, Richie Leahy, Conor Browne and Mikey Carey for the upcoming season.