By Colm Shalvey

The 2023 Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups get underway this weekend.

Christy Ring Cup

The first game of the Christy Ring Cup sees Sligo host London on Sunday.

This arrives just a few weeks after the sides contested an Allianz Hurling League Division 2B relegation play-off, which saw London claim a narrow win. The Exiles also beat Sligo in a similarly high-scoring Christy Ring Cup opener last year, with both teams going on to defeat relegated Wicklow.

Despite relegation, Sligo manager Pádraig Mannion has been encouraged by the performances of his young players so far this year. Andrew Kilcullen, who racked up ten points per game in this competition en route to earning a 2022 Champion 15 accolade, has continued his prolific form, while Diarmuid Hanniffy, Joe McHugh and Tomás Cawley should also play key roles. London will be looking for big performances from Ronan Crowley, Jack Goulding and Daithí Heffernan. These teams have served up a hat-trick of high-scoring encounters in the last 12 months, with London edging all three, so this could be another thriller.

Tyrone make their first appearance in the Christy Ring Cup when they take on neighbours Derry prior to their footballers’ Ulster SFC clash with Monaghan.

Tyrone managed to hold their own after making the jump to Division IIB of the Allianz Derry Hurling League, which will also feature Derry next year after their winless run in Division 2A that followed last season’s promotion. Derry fell narrowly short of a second Christy Ring Final appearance in the space of three years last time out, while Tyrone won the Nickey Rackard title. An emotional occasion beckons for Tyrone in their first championship game since the tragic loss of their long-time leading light Damian Casey.

Mickey Little, Dermot Begley, Conor Grogan and Seán Duffin have been in good form for Tyrone, whose manager Michael McShane will have a good insight into Derry, given his successful stint in charge of Slaughtneil. Derry have been relying on Slaughtneil’s Cormac O’Doherty for a large chunk of their scores so far this year, so they will need the likes of Corey O’Reilly, John Mullan and Cormac Gough to step up.

Favourites Meath start their campaign at home to 2022 runners-up Mayo.

Meath are looking to make a quick return to the Joe McDonagh Cup, having already secured one promotion this year by winning the Allianz Hurling League Division 2B title. 2021 Nickey Rackard Cup winners Mayo missed out on promotion from Division 3A after a slow start to the campaign in the absence of their Tooreen contingent, who returned to lead them to a couple of comprehensive wins.

Jack Regan, James Toher, Éamon Ó Donnchadha and Pádraig O’Hanrahan have been central to Meath winning each of their last six games – by an average margin of eight points. Mayo will need Cormac and Adrian Phillips, Jason Coyne and Seán and David Kenny at the top of their game.

Nickey Rackard Cup

Wicklow make their Nickey Rackard Cup debut at home to Louth.

Two tiers separated these counties last season, but Wicklow (Christy Ring Cup ever-presents up to now) were relegated for the first time, while Louth won their second Lory Meagher title in the space of three years. Wicklow were pipped by Donegal in a Division 2B semi-final last month, while Louth retained their Division 3A status.

Christy Moorehouse, Andy O’Brien and Seánie Germaine are key to Wicklow’s chances, while Darren Geoghegan is the talisman for Louth, with support from the likes of Mark Gahan and Seán Kerrisk.

Roscommon will be hoping to complete a hat-trick of wins over Armagh when they meet again at Dr. Hyde Park.

Roscommon beat the Orchard County twice during the Allianz Hurling League Division 3A, including in the final at the start of this month. This will be a sixth clash of these counties (both previous Nickey Rackard champions) since March 2022, with Roscommon having won four of the last five. The Rossies went all the way to Croke Park last May, only to lose out to Tyrone.

Roscommon’s stuttering start to 2023 led to a change of management, with Galway native Séamus Qualter taking the reins and getting a good response from players like Mickey Joe Egan, Paddy Fallon, Eoin Fitzgerald,

Naos Connaughton and Conor Mulry. Fionntán Donnelly has been in free-scoring form for Armagh, who will also need Tomás Galvin, Shea Harvey, Cormac Jennings and Odhrán Curry to lead the way.

The opening round also features an Ulster derby between three-time champions Donegal and Fermanagh.

The league tables tell of two counties headed in opposing trajectories, but Fermanagh’s relegation from Division 3A was scant reward for a string of combative performances against higher-ranked teams. Donegal, meanwhile, battled their way into the Division 2B final, where they held their own despite falling short against Meath.

Donegal will hope to have Danny Cullen, Stephen Gillespie and Declan Coulter fit to support the in-form Liam McKinney and Jack O’Loughlin, while Luca McCusker, Daniel Teague, Caolán Duffy and Seán Corrigan could spearhead Fermanagh’s bid to return to winning ways.

Lory Meagher Cup

Saturday’s sole fixture sees Lancashire and Longford get the Lory Meagher Cup underway.

Lancashire, who were Lory Meagher finalists in 2018 and 2019, have struggled to recapture that kind of form since returning to competitive action after a lengthy absence.

Two-time Lory Meagher winners Longford, who lost to Louth in the 2022 decider, pipped the Exiles to a Division 3

B semi-final place, where they fell short against Leitrim.

Robin Spencer, Shane Madden and Ray McCormack have the firepower to put Lancashire in contention, with Cathal Mullane, Paddy Lynam, Reuben Murray and David Buckley among the main men for Longford.

Páirc na hÉireann hosts a second game of the weekend when Warwickshire face Cavan on Sunday.

Nickey Rackard Cup finalists five years ago, Warwickshire have dipped into the bottom tier of both league and championship after a long wait for a win. Cavan have been back on the upward curve this year, putting a winless 2022 behind them to clinch the Division 3B title at the start of April.

Antrim native Ollie Bellew is back at the helm in Cavan, who can call on Kilkenny duo Canice Maher and Nicky Kenny, as well as the Sheanons of former All-Ireland club winners Cuala. Warwickshire will be looking to Jack Grealish, Luke Hands and Pádraic Crehan to get them back on track.

Division 3A semi-finalists Monaghan welcome Division 3B runners-up Leitrim to Clontibret.

A flying start to the league saw Monaghan set the pace in Division 3A, but they ended up losing to Armagh in the semi-final, while 2019 Lory Meagher champions Leitrim lost to Cavan by the narrowest of margins in the Division 3B decider. Both teams fell just short of qualifying in last year’s group stage.

Monaghan will be depending on Fergal Rafter, Thomas Hughes, Niall Garland and Niall Arthur, with Michael Dervan, Joe Murray, Gavin O’Hagan, Brendan Delaney and Martin Feeney leading lights for Leitrim.

FIXTURES

Saturday, April 15

Lory Meagher Cup Round 1

Lancashire v Longford, Páirc na hÉireann, 2pm

Sunday, April 16

Christy Ring Cup Round 1

Sligo v London, Markievicz Park, 12.45pm

Tyrone v Derry, Omagh, 1.45pm

Meath v Mayo, Navan, 2pm

Nickey Rackard Cup Round 1

Wicklow v Louth, Aughrim, 2pm

Roscommon v Armagh, Dr. Hyde Park, 2pm

Donegal v Fermanagh, Letterkenny, 2pm

Lory Meagher Cup Round 1

Warwickshire v Cavan, Páirc na hÉireann, 1pm

Monaghan v Leitrim, Clontibret, 2pm