We look ahead to the 2023 GAA All-Ireland senior hurling championship by putting each county under the microscope.
Antrim
All-Ireland titles: 0
Manager: Darren Gleeson
Captain: Eoghan Campbell
Insight: Antrim are back in the top flight by dint of winning last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup, after which they performed admirably in a 3-27 to 2-19 loss to Cork in the backdoor. After Dunloy’s run to the All-Ireland SHC club final, they can go into the season with optimism.
Dublin
All-Ireland titles: 6
Manager: Michael Donoghue
Captain: Eoghan O’Donnell
Insight: You’d wonder would Michael Donoghue have taken over the job had he known Liam Rushe, Chris Crummey, Cian O’Callaghan and a few more were leaving the panel for the 2023 season. Some fresh young talents such as Paddy Doyle have impressed, fit-again Cian Boland is hurling well, but the likes of Ronan Hayes and Danny Sutcliffe need huge seasons to combat their recurring issue with scoring.
Galway
All-Ireland titles: 5
Manager: Henry Shefflin
Captain: Daithi Burke
Insight: Galway showed in 2022 that they have the capacity to match the best teams but they came up short in the final stages, notably in the Leinster final against Kilkenny and then against Limerick. Davy Burke is out for the season but Tom Monaghan, Tiernan Killeen, Sean Linnane, Kevin Cooney and Ronan Glennon are assuming more responsibility. In Conor Whelan and Cathal Mannion, they have potential game winners too.
Kilkenny
All-Ireland titles: 36
Manager: Derek Lyng
Captain: Eoin Cody
Insight: Lyng is the only bainisteoir in the Leinster SHC who has never worn the bib for a senior inter-county clash. They have recovered well since being humbled at home by Tipp, but the complete fadeout against Limerick (which happens to plenty of teams) was a concern. Still, they have old stars in TJ Reid and Richie Hogan, while Adrian Mullen looks a Hurler of the Year in the making.
Westmeath
All-Ireland titles: 0
Manager: Joe Fortune
Captain: Killian Doyle and Niall Mitchell
Insight: Westmeath looked in trouble when Down beat them early during the 2022 league but they recovered to claim that Division 2A title, before claiming points off Wexford (draw) and Laois (win) to retain their Leinster SHC status for this season. They have a top defender in Tommy Doyle, scorers in Killian Doyle and Niall Mitchell, and an improving pedigree at this level.
Wexford
All-Ireland titles: 6
Manager: Darragh Egan
Captain: Lee Chin
Insight: In 2022, Wexford had a strong league campaign before being pasted in the semi-final by Waterford, and followed that up with an inconsistent championship. This time around, they have had a shocking league with only a win over Westmeath to their credit, with injuries hurting their chances along the way. Lee Chin and Rory O’Connor must stay fit, they need a reinvigorated Kevin Foley, and Charlie McGuckin must carry his brilliant league form throughout the summer.
Click onto next page for Munster teams
