Some things to know about the senior clubs

JAMES STEPHENS

Manager: Niall Rigney

Selectors: Fran Whelan, Adrian Finan.

Lost to emigration: No one.

Injured: Tomas Keogh, Eamon Sheehy.

How they fared last year: Won the championship final by beating Shamrocks in a replay; lost the League final to the same opposition.

Last won SHC: 2011.

Last won SHL: 2010.

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS

Manager: Tommy Shefflin.

Selectors: P.M. O’Sullivan, John Drennan, Michael Kelly.

Injured: Henry Shefflin. Doing drills and light work with the panel. The third round match on May 18 might be a likely return date.

Lost to emigration: Ger Fennelly (junior) is in England and played with London in the NHL; James Walsh (San Francisco); Donnacha Fitzpatrick (Australia) and James Connolly is still in Australia after emigrating the previous year.

How they fared last year: Won the League and beaten in the final of the championship after a replay.

Last won SHC: 2009.

Last won SHL: 2011.

GRAIGUE-BALLYCALLAN

Manager: Tommy Bawle

Selectors: Johnny Ronan, Conor Power.

Injured: Dermot Hoyne (cruciate).

Returning: Paddy Kennedy, Jimmy Murphy.

How fared last year: Won one game in League. Beat Tullaroan in first round of championship/relegation semi-final.

Last won SHC : 2000.

Last won SHL: 2003.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS

Manager: Michael Nolan

Selectors: Barry Power, Paul Phelan.

Physical trainers: Ian Dowling, Vinny De Ruscio.

Injured: Niall McEvoy (broken hand).

How they fared last year: Beaten in championship semi-finals by Ballyhale Shamrocks.

Last won SHC: 2010.

Last won SHL: Never.

CARRICKSHOCK

Manager: Brendan Fennelly.

Selectors: Jim O’Shea, Jimmy Sheehan.

Trainer: Noel Dunphy.

Injured: No one.

Returning: John Tennyson still battling to regain full fitness.

How they fared last year: Beaten in championship quarter-final replay by Shamrocks.

Last won SHC: 1951.

DANESFORT

Managers: Gerry Doyle and Joe Tierney

Selectors: Dick Mahony, Liam Dowling (trainer).

Injured: Richie Hogan. Out until the second round of matches, at least.

Lost to emigration: Marty McMahon (Australia).

Returning: Liam Forristal, Cathal O’Neill and James Cunningham.

How they fared last year: Won the intermediate hurling championship and won promotion to the senior grade.

Last won SHC: Never.

FENIANS

Manager: Eamon Sweeney.

Selectors: Brian Ryan, Paul Phelan.

Injured: P.J. Delaney (hip).

Returning: No one.

How they fared last year: Finished in mid-table in the League; beaten in first round of the championship.

Last won SHC: 1997.

Last won SHL: 1993.

ST MARTIN’S (MUCKALEE)

Manager: Sean O’Neill.

Selectors: Johnny Brennan, Brendan Morrissey, Johnny McGrath, Niall Moloney (skills coach).

How they fared last year: Won the SH Shield; beaten in championship semi-final by James Stephens.

Last won SHC: 1984.

ERIN’S OWN (CASTLECOMER)

Manager: Martin Fogarty.

Selectors: Tommy Brennan and Brian Young.

Lost to emigration: Sean and Thomas Dwyer, Jimmy Byrne (UK), Brian Dillon (Australia).

How they fared last year: Finished in mid-table in the League; failed to make the championship semi-finals after successive appearances in them.

TULLAROAN

Manager: Declan Connolly (he was the manager previously in 1994).

Selectors: John Coogan, Tommy Norton, Derek Holmes, Jimmy Cleere.

Injured: Stephen Maher (shoulder).

Returning: Nicky Maher (after knee injury).

Lost to emigration: No one. Previously lost Shane Hennessy, Paul Doheny, Robert Butler, Michael Walsh, Stephen Dowling and club chairman, Bill Hennessy.

How they fared last year: Lost all five matches in the League; beat Clara in the championship relegation final.

Last won SHC: 1994.

Last won SHL: 2002.

DICKSBORO

Manager: Ger Henderson.

Selectors: Liam Maher, John O’Gorman, Mick O’Flynn, E.J. Ryan.

Injured: Michael Tyrrell (cruciate).

Returning: Cillian Buckley. He didn’t play last year because of groin injury.

How they fared last year: Beat Clara in the first round/relegation championship semi-final after a replay. Beaten by O’Loughlin Gaels in quarter-final of championship.

Last won SHC: 1993.

Last won SHL: 1996.

DUNNAMAGGIN

Manager: Pat Hoban.

Selectors: Seamus Knox, Tom Hickey.

Lost to emigration: Tommy Maher (Australia), J.J. Dunphy is working in England and he will commute for some games.

How they fared last year: Finished fourth in the League; lost to Carrickshock in the first round of the championship.

PS - The senior hurling championship was first played for in 1887. The senior hurling league was introduced in 1992.