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Preview: Ring, Rackard Meagher Cups

Eamonn Ó Donnacadh of Meath in action against Kevin Reid and Cormac Thornton of London during last weekend's Christy Ring Cup Group 2 Round 1 match between Meath and London at Páirc Tailteann, Navan in Meath. 

Eamonn Ó Donnacadh of Meath in action against Kevin Reid and Cormac Thornton of London during last weekend's Christy Ring Cup Group 2 Round 1 match between Meath and London at Páirc Tailteann, Navan in Meath. 

The Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups continue this Saturday, while the Lory Meagher Cup first round is also down for decision.

Christy Ring Cup

Derry will be looking to win a second Ulster derby in the space of a week when they welcome Donegal to Owenbeg for round two of the Christy Ring Cup on Saturday.

This is the battle of the last two winners of the Nicky Rackard Cup, with Derry’s 2017 success being matched last year by their near-neighbours. Derry got off to a flying start with a convincing win over Down last Saturday, while Donegal acquitted themselves well despite losing to Wicklow on their Christy Ring debut. Derry had a comfortable win over Donegal on their way to the Allianz Hurling League Division 2B Final, where they lost to Wicklow.

Cormac O’Doherty was in sparkling form with a 2-9 tally last weekend for Derry, who will also be looking for big performances from the likes of Liam Óg Hinphey, Cian Waldron and Sé McGuigan. Already weakened by the absence of injured forward Declan Coulter, Donegal will be hoping that Lee Henderson overcomes a fitness doubt to lead their challenge, alongside Danny Cullen and Ciarán Matthewson.

The other Group 1 game sees Down travel to Aughrim to face Wicklow.

Both of these teams have been ever-present in the Christy Ring Cup, but neither has reached the final since Down won it in 2013. Down started this campaign with a derby loss to Derry, while Wicklow had a hard-earned win away to Donegal. Down have already won in Aughrim this year with an 11-point victory that proved to be Wicklow’s only defeat of a successful Allianz Hurling League Division 2B campaign.

Down were wasteful in their finishing last week and they will be looking for more from Paul Sheehan, Oisín McManus and Daithí Sands, while Ruairí McCrickard could feature after returning from injury as a sub in round one. Christy Moorehouse, Ronan Keddy and last weekend’s hat-trick hero Gary Hughes could play key roles for Wicklow.

Christy Ring Cup hurler Naos Connaughton of Roscommon in attendance at the official launch of Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Competitions at Croke Park in Dublin.

Christy Ring Cup hurler Naos Connaughton of Roscommon in attendance at the official launch of Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Competitions at Croke Park in Dublin.

Roscommon will hope to build on a stunning start to Group 2 when they travel to take on London at Ruislip.

Roscommon shocked holders Kildare last weekend, while last year’s runners-up London left Navan empty-handed after losing to Meath in a game where they had to play using borrowed hurls. Both of these teams will be in Division 2B of next year’s league after heading in opposite paths this spring; London being relegated and Roscommon earning promotion.

Roscommon will hope for Cathal Dolan, Shane Curley, Pádraig Kelly and Gearóid and Cillian Egan to be on top form, while London will be depending on runaway top scorer Aaron Sheehan, as well as Shane Lawless and Kevin Reid.

There is also a big Leinster derby between two recent champions, Kildare and Meath, in Newbridge.

Kildare won the Christy Ring Cup last June for the second time in the last five year, but their latest title defence got off to a false start last Saturday in a shock defeat against Roscommon. Meath won the Christy Ring for the first time in 2016, before being relegated from the Joe McDonagh Cup last year. Meath stayed up in Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling League this spring, while Kildare fell short of promotion from Division 2B.

Brian Byrne has been in prolific form for Kildare, who will also need Jack Sheridan, Martin Fitzgerald and James Burke to be to the fore. Pádraig O’Hanrahan, Jack Regan, Eamonn Ó Donnacadh and Alan Douglas should be among the main men for Meath.

Armagh hurler Stephen Renaghan pictured with the Nicky Rackard Cup. 

Armagh hurler Stephen Renaghan pictured with the Nicky Rackard Cup. 

Nicky Rackard Cup

Armagh and Warwickshire will both be targeting second wins in the Nicky Rackard Cup when they clash at Páirc na hÉireann on Saturday.

Armagh won a high-scoring opening-round derby against Monaghan, while Warwickshire made a successful trip to Longford via a strong finish. These sides are both recent finalists in this competition, with Warwickshire having lost last year’s decider against Donegal and Armagh having fallen just short in each of the previous three campaigns.

Armagh should be able to call on the likes of Dean Gaffney, Danny Magee, Nathan and Odhrán Curry and Dylan McKenna, while Warwickshire will hope to have players like Niall Kennedy, Ian Dwyer, John Collins, Emmet McCabe and Kelvin Magee available.

Monaghan and Longford will bid to get off the mark when they meet in Inniskeen.

Both teams will have taken positives from their performances last Saturday, when Monaghan fell just short in Armagh and Allianz Hurling League Division 3B winners Longford were pipped by Warwickshire. Monaghan won this fixture last year en route to a semi-final appearance.

Monaghan will be looking to Fergal Rafter, Mark and Peter Treanor and Taidhg Campbell to lead the way, with David Buckley, Cathal Mullane, Paddy Corcoran and John Mulhern key men for Longford.

The first-round winners also go head-to-head in Group 2, where Sligo host Tyrone.

2014 Nicky Rackard champions Tyrone are hoping to build on an excellent win over Mayo, who were two tiers above them in this year’s league. After winning last year’s Lory Meagher Cup, Sligo reached another final in Division 3B, only to lose to Longford after extra-time. They had too much firepower for Louth in round one.

Tyrone had their talisman Damian Casey on song with a 1-12 tally last week, while Dermot Begley, Matthew Mulgrew and Ryan McKernan can also contribute. Sligo’s veteran forward Keith Raymond marked his return with 2-5 against Louth and he will be key, along with Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Liam Reidy and Gary Cadden.

Mayo welcome Louth to Castlebar as both sides search for their first points.

Mayo lost out to Tyrone last Sunday, a day after Louth were beaten at home by Sligo. Mayo, who were relegated from the Christy Ring Cup last year, will be hoping to recapture the form that saw them avoid relegation from Division 2A of the league, two tiers above a Louth side that managed just one win in Division 3A.

Shane Boland, Cathal Freeman, Seán Kenny and Seán Regan are central to Mayo’s plans, while Darren Geoghegan, Gerry McKeown, David Kettle and Seaghán Connelly are big players for Louth.

Declan Molloy of Leitrim, pictured with the Lory Meagher Cup, at the official launch of Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Competitions at Croke Park in Dublin. 

Declan Molloy of Leitrim, pictured with the Lory Meagher Cup, at the official launch of Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Competitions at Croke Park in Dublin. 

Lory Meagher Cup

The Lory Meagher Cup gets underway on Saturday.

Leitrim travel to face Lancashire at the Old Bedians Sports Ground.

After going so close in 2018 – losing a high-scoring Lory Meagher Final against Sligo – Lancashire will hope to bounce back from a league campaign that saw them demoted from Division IIIA. Leitrim were in the Lory Meagher Final the previous year, where they lost to Warwickshire, but having been moved up to the Nicky Rackard for 2018, they have struggled since and failed to earn a point in Division 3B this spring.

Lancashire have been without the likes of Edmund Kenny and Martin Hawley, increasing their reliance on Ronan and Darren Crowley and Dáire Maskey. Leitrim, who saw Carrick bring a first Connacht Club JHC title to the county last November, will hope to have Stephen Goldrick, Clement Cunniffe, Vincent McDermott, James Glancy and Declan Molloy available.

The other Lory Meagher opener is a local derby between Cavan and Fermanagh before the Breffni footballers take on Monaghan.

Fermanagh claimed this title in 2015, but didn’t win a game in a disappointing campaign last year, where their only point came via a draw with Cavan. The Erne County did return to winning ways towards the end of their league Division 3B campaign, including a victory over Cavan, but both these teams missed out on the final.

Ryan Bogue’s return has boosted Fermanagh, who could also feature JP and Declan McGarry and John Duffy against a Cavan side who could be spearheaded by Diarmaid Carney, Colm Sheanon and Kevin Conneely.

FIXTURES

Saturday, May 18

Christy Ring Cup Group 1 Round 2

Derry v Donegal, Owenbeg, 3pm

Wicklow v Down, Aughrim, 3pm

Christy Ring Cup Group 2 Round 2

London v Roscommon, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm

Kildare v Meath, Newbridge, 3pm

Nicky Rackard Cup Group 1 Round 2

Warwickshire v Armagh, Páirc na hÉireann, Birmingham, 1pm

Monaghan v Longford, Inniskeen, 3pm

Nicky Rackard Cup Group 2 Round 2

Sligo v Tyrone, Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence, 1pm

Mayo v Louth, Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, 3pm

Lory Meagher Cup Round 1

Lancashire v Leitrim, Old Bedians Sports Ground, Manchester, 1pm

Cavan v Fermanagh, Kingspan Breffni, 5pm