Defending champions Antrim kick off the defence of their crown against Derry.
Antrim v Derry: Derry were earnest opposition in Ulster a few season ago but their quality has slipped somewhat while Antrim have improved considerably.
Derry were pressed to see off the challenge of lowly London and even with the likes of big Geoffrey McGonigle ready to punish any Antrim frailties the omens favour the men from the Verdict: Antrim
New York v Down: Not much hope of an upset here either, Down secured the Division 2 hurling title recently which proves that the New Yorkers would need to improve considerably to even provide the Northerners with a decent challenge. Verdict Down
