Munster Senior Hurling Championship: County by county guide to hurling’s premier competition

CLARE

Munster Hurling Championship Titles: 6

2023 Munster: Finalists (Lost by a point to Limerick)

2023 Championship: All Ireland semi-final (Lost to Kilkenny)

Manager: Brian Lohan

Key Man: Tony Kelly

Rising Star: Mark Rogers

Opening fixture: Home to Limerick

Prospects: Clare come into Munster this season in great shape after an impressive league that saw them dispose of a host of serious sides to take their first national title in many years.

Brian Lohan’s side impressed from the first day to the last in the league, all without their talisman Tony Kelly, this Clare side are now a force to be reckoned with.

Clare made it to the provincial final in 2023 losing by the minimum to Limerick that day – they went onto an All-Ireland semi-final only to lose to Kilkenny, the team they took out in this year’s league final.

Tony Kelly has been the main man for a while now and will be required again this year as soon as he gets back on the field.

Kelly is far from Clare’s only threat and the Banner now seem to be maturing into a settled side that have pace, power and no shortage of score getters as they look to claim more silverware this season.

As with all sides in Munster, and I am including Limerick in this, Clare’s main goal this side of an All-Ireland series is to get out of the provincial competition in one of the top three places. A Munster Final place is always a bonus but not a requirement.

Clare’s opening fixture at home to Limerick may seem like a free shot to many however I feel that they will need to get something from this game, an away trip to Cork the following day isn’t going to be any easier – two losses at the start could prove fatal to their chances of progression.

Play Cork: Clare head to Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Round 2 – a game that could have a have ramifications around the hurling world.

CORK

Munster Hurling Championship Titles: 54

2023 Munster: Failed to get out of the Munster

2023 All Ireland Championship: Season ended in Munster

Manager: Pat Ryan

Key Man: Darragh Fitzgibbon

Rising Star: Eoin Downey

Opening fixture: Away to Waterford this weekend

Prospects: Cork come into this competition with a huge amount to prove after failing to get out of Munster in 2023.

That disappointment was a significant blow to new manager Pat Ryan and his charges at the time and will likely have emboldened the Rebels as they go in search of ending what seems at this stage to be an eternity since All Ireland glory came their way.

Cork should take great comfort from the way they finished the league this year after losing their opening two fixtures to Kilkenny and Clare, but will be disappointed that they didn’t make the knockout stages affording the panel a couple of more competitive games to get their tactics and line-up settled for what will be a frantic opening few weeks in the most competitive hurling championship in the land.

Ryan was new to the job last year and despite the challenges last year continues to enjoy the support of all of Cork but a successful mission this year has to include getting out of Munster, a win in the competition would be seen as a plus, but the team really do need to get to Croke Park, a place in the All Ireland Final would probably be seen as a minimum in 2024.

Cork have no shortage of serious hurlers now, but the absence of Blarney’s Mark Coleman will be a big hit to a side that have genuine aspirations of going places.

Few if any will take Cork for granted. For me they are currently the second-best side in the land right now. If they can push on then who knows what 2024 can ultimately produce.

LIMERICK

Munster Hurling Championship Titles: 24

2023 Munster: Winners

2023 All Ireland Championship: Winners

Manager: John Kiely

Key Man: Kyle Hayes

Rising Star: Cathal O’Neill

Opening fixture: Away to Clare

Prospects: Limerick looked to be taking it handy in the league until they weren’t.

The Treaty side came out of the group stages comfortably but fell to a Kilkenny side that were definitely up for the fight and looking to put a marker down against the Number 1 ranked side in the business.

John Kiely and his charges, have a target on their backs as they first take on Munster before throwing their lot into their quest for a record-breaking five in-a-row of All Ireland titles.

Unfortunately for Limerick, off-the-field issues have been dogging the side in recent times, but creating a siege mentality within the squad may ultimately result in a very positive result for one of the most impressive sides that the game has ever seen.

Limerick are red hot favourites for everything, but it may well be that the draw in Munster hasn’t exactly gone the way of the Treaty side with a big test away to the newly crowned league champions up first before then taking on a resurgent Tipperary – Cork await in Round 3 – no easy ties in the opening three fixtures.

All Ireland success will be the only target set Shannonside this year. and not many will bet against them.

Play Cork: Cork welcome Limerick in Round 3 of this year’s Munster Championship – a game that could have a big bearing on the outcome of the provincial competition this season.

TIPPERARY

Munster Hurling Championship Titles: 42

2023 Munster: Third place

2023 All Ireland Championship: Quarter-final (Lost to Galway)

Manager: Liam Cahill

Key Man: Ronan Maher

Rising Star: Bryan O’Mara

Opening fixture: Away to Limerick in Round 2

Prospects: The break weekends are often good times to reflect on what has gone before and plan for the following challenges, but it is rarely seen as a good thing to have a bye weekend on the opening weekend of championship. However, that is what faces Tipperary this season.

Tipperary got out of Munster last season by the skin of their teeth and failed to manage even that the previous year as the side has struggled to get any kind of fluidity and confidence flowing through the team.

Liam Cahill came into steady the ship last time round and will now look to push on and turn the fortunes of one of the most successful hurling counties since the GAA began.

Jason Forde and Captain Ronan Maher will be key to Tipp’s challenge this season, but the collective will need to up the ante as The Premier County look to get back into the conversation for honours.

Some of Tipp’s under age stars have had to step up from successful underage careers in recent years ahead of schedule as the senior side saw a host of early retirements, but those players have now received their stripes and will fancy their chances of being successful with one of the traditional powerhouses of Munster hurling.

Tipp start away to Limerick two weekends from now, all eyes will be on the boys in blue and gold as they, like many others, look to set out their stall against the All Ireland Champions.

Play Cork: Travel to Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for their third game in Round 4 in in mid-May.

WATERFORD

Munster Hurling Championship Titles: 9

2023 Munster: Failed to get out of Munster

2023 All Ireland Championship: Season ended in Munster

Manager: Davy Fitzgerald

Key Man: Tadgh de Búrca

Rising Star: Michael Kiely

Opening fixture: Welcome Cork to Walsh Park

Prospects: This time last season Waterford had plenty to smile about, but a loss to Clare in their opening fixture and the loss of Tadgh de Búrca for the rest of the season put Waterford on the back foot, something they would not recover from in 2023.

With Davy Fitzgerald at the helm once more and de Búrca confirmed in recent days that his return is imminent few would write off the Déise at this point.

Walsh Park is now back on the table as well to boost the feel-good factor around the county. Now all they need is a win or two and perhaps a run in the All Ireland series would lift the gloom that has settled over the county’s hurling side in recent times.

It is hard to imagine that Waterford will limp out of this year’s Munster Championship meekly but that is what happened last time round – something that Fitzgerald will be looking to use as inspiration for a quality side that should do better.

Waterford’s welcome Cork in Round 1 and will feel that this offers them a good opportunity to get something from their opening fixture in what looks like it will be one of the most competitive Munster Championship competitions in many years.

Plenty eyes will be trained on Stephen Bennett to see can he drag his side back into contention for at least a spot in the top three this season, however, a hip injury identified by his manager earlier in the year may hamper him and his team somewhat.

Waterford are up against it and are likely to be the bookies outsiders this year, but stranger things have happened than the Déise racking up a couple of wins and making it through to the All-Ireland series. Davy Fitz would take your hand off for third place right now.

Play Cork: Waterford welcome Cork to Walsh Park this Sunday.

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