DIVISION 1A
Clare
Manager: Brian Lohan
Year: Four
Notes: When Lohan was appointed in late 2019, he was originally appointed for two years with a potential option of a third season.
The Banner County showed their faith in him at the end of the 2021 season though as he was handed a fresh three-year extension.
"In inter-county hurling now, there's an awful lot of work involved in it and it takes a bit of time to get your team together," he said then of the need for an extended period.
Their performance against Limerick in the Munster final last season, losing after extra-time, was a sign that things were coming together, although the subsequent no-show against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final was a dampener.
Cork
Manager: Pat Ryan
Year: One
Notes: There was speculation that Kieran Kingston was going to continue in the role, but in the end he didn't and Pat Ryan was appointed as the new manager of the Rebels.
Ryan, from the Sarsfields club, previously served as a senior selector under Kingston in 2016 and 2017. He then guided Cork to Munster and All Ireland under-20 success in both 2020 and 2021.
KINGSTON: IT'S UP TO US TO CATCH LIMERICK
He will begin a three-year term with Donal O’Rourke acting as coach and Fergal Condon, Wayne Sherlock, Donal O’Mahony and Brendan Coleman coming in as selectors.
Mark Coleman is set to miss the 2023 campaign after undergoing knee surgery.
Galway
Manager: Henry Shefflin
Year: Two
Notes: When Brian Cody stepped away from Kilkenny, teeth would have clenched in Galway, but in the end Shefflin remains with the Connacht side.
His first year in charge ended with a brilliant All-Ireland semi-final showing against Limerick, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Treaty County went on to complete three in-a-row.
It seems inevitable that he will one day manage the Cats, but for now his focus is Galway – and they should once again be serious contenders.
They'll have to do it without All-Ireland winner Johnny Coen though who announced his retirement recently.
Limerick
Manager: John Kiely
Year: Seven
Notes: July was a good month for John Kiely. Not only did he get to meet and follow Tiger Woods at Adare Manor, but more importantly he guided Limerick to their third All-Ireland title on the trot.
That was their fourth Liam MacCarthy of his reign, so news that he was handed a two-year extension last year was incredibly unsurprising.
Hurling Year in Review - a look back at some of the highs and the lows of the summer of 2022 #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/XYBjSrwv2E
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 17, 2022
Weren't as dominant on the scoreboard this season, they were given real scares this year against Clare, Galway and, in the final, Kilkenny – so that should provide a bit of motivation for the season ahead.
Westmeath
Manager: Joe Fortune
Year: Two
Notes: Westmeath hurling enthusiasts would have been relieved to hear the news that Joe Fortune was to stay on in 2023 after he had been linked with a number of vacant positions, most notably Dublin.
The county confirmed the news at the end of September and they’ll be hoping he can build on what was an excellent 2022 season.
The side claimed the Division 2A title after plundering five goals against Down, and they also maintained their Leinster Championship status with a draw with Wexford proving to be a real eye-catching result in years.
Killian Doyle was rewarded with an All-Star nomination, the first hurler from the county to make the shortlist since David Kilcoyne earned a spot on the final 15 in 1986.
Wexford
Manager: Darragh Egan
Year: Two
Notes: Darragh Egan’s start to year two has been hit with headlines about possible withdrawals due to travelling, but the manager has said he is confident they will be back in a Wexford shirt at some stage in 2023.
Pádraig Foley, one of his key defenders last term, is heading to Australia, as is Kevin Foley, Damien Reck and Shane Wreck, but their manager expects to see them back playing at various stages of the campaign.
Their longest serving player Paul Morris will definitely not be about though after announcing his retirement having first joined the panel in 2010. Shaun Murphy has also decided to step away.
Another interesting development in the off-season was the establishment of a new hurling sub-committee to oversee the high-performance plan that aims to take Wexford back to the top of the tree. All-Star Adrian Fenlon will chair it.
DIVISION 1B
Antrim
Manager: Darren Gleeson
Year: Four
Notes: Antrim continue to move forward, and Darren Gleeson was rewarded for their 2022 Joe McDonagh success with a new two-year deal with an option of a third.
The former Tipperary goalkeeper has always been bullish about the Ulster side’s potential, and they have another year of Division 1 hurling to look forward to after their relegation play-off win over Offaly.
Gleeson will look towards that, and their participation in the Leinster group stage as a great opportunity while the Dunloy contingent should return confident after they qualified for the All-Ireland club final with a deserved win over St Thomas.
Dublin
Manager: Micheál Donoghue
Year: One
Notes: From one Galway man to the next, Micheál Donoghue is the man who replaces Mattie Kenny as Dublin hurling manager on a three-year term.
Francis Forde, Noel Larkin and Shane O’Brien will serve as his selectors with Donoghue also taking charge of the county’s U20 squad.
The Clarinbridge famously guided his native Galway to a long-awaited All-Ireland title in 2017.
Davy Fitzgerald had been linked with the vacant position before ending up in Waterford.
Kilkenny
Manager: Derek Lyng
Year: One
Notes: It’s like following Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, but Derek Lyng will be hoping to make a better fist of replacing Brina Cody than David Moyes did at Manchester United.
Eleven All-Ireland titles in 24 seasons speaks for itself, but Lyng will be keen to prove that he can continue that winning tradition – and the fact that they last lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup back in 2015 does give him a window of opportunity.
Lyng, who has enjoyed All-Ireland glory as U20 manager, has been given a three-year stint, initially.
Conor Browne and Mikey Carey will miss out due to travelling.
Laois
Manager: Willie Maher
Year: One
Notes: Laois took their time in appointing a new manager, but in the end it was Willie Maher who was handed the gig. Maher’s CV included an All-Ireland Minor title with Tipperary in 2012 while he has also enjoyed success with Dublin club Cuala amongst others.
One notable addition to his backroom team is that of Waterford legend Dan Shanahan, who recently retired from club action, with the pair working together with the Déise during Derek McGrath’s reign.
Laois maintained Division 1 hurling under Séamus 'Cheddar’ Plunkett last season, so it will be straight in at the deep end.
Tipperary
Manager: Liam Cahill
Year: One
Notes: Following Colm Bonnar’s departure, Tipperary GAA moved quickly to appoint Liam Cahill on a three-year term back in July.
Cahill had just left his role in Waterford, and it appeared an ideal match having previously guided Tipperary's U21 side to All-Ireland titles in 2018 and 2019 and had been widely anticipated to take over the senior side in late 2018 until ex-manager Liam Sheedy arrived into the race.
His backroom team includes Mickey Bevans, Pádraic Maher, Declan Laffan and TJ Ryan. Waterford legend Tony Browne is also on board.
It has been a difficult start to Cahill’s reign as all in the Premier County were rocked by the tragic death of their player Dillon Quirke after he collapsed whilst playing for his club Clonoulty/Rossmore in August.
Waterford
Manager: Davy Fitzgerald
Year: One
Notes: No doubting the most high-profile appointment of the off-season as Davy Fitzgerald returns to Waterford on a two-year term with an option for a third term.
The Clare man, who was linked with the vacant Dublin gig, had spent the last year with the Cork camogie squad as they made it to the All-Ireland final where they lost out narrowly to Kilkenny.
DAVY DETERMINED TO SOLVE WATERFORD'S MUNSTER CONUNDRUM
As is always the case with Fitzgerald, the scrutiny will be on him from day dot – something he seems to revel in – and Waterford will be hoping that he can provide some magic.
Tipp legend Eoin Kelly is part of his backroom team. Also joining the new Déise senior set-up is former Waterford hurler Peter Queally, who was in charge of Roanmore last season.
DIVISION 2A
Carlow
Manager: Tom Mulally
Year: Two
Notes: The Kilkenny native returns for a second year and he tries to find the extra few percent that could have made a massive difference in his first season.
In both the league and the Joe McDonagh Cup, the side finished one position outside the knock-out stages so they’re not that far off at all.
The Kilkenny man has had a busy time after his Carlow commitments finished as he guided Naas to the Kildare title, the side defeating Maynooth by eight points.
Derry
Manager: Johnny McGarvey
Year: One
Notes: ‘Woody’ McKinley and 'Hippy’ Donnelly were expected to beback for a third season but in early January Johnny McGarvey of Lavey was installed.
Derry will be back up to Division 2A campaign after their league title earlier this year, and with their Slaughtneil contingent continuing to shine – they recently won a 10th Derry title in-a-row under Tyrone manager Michael McShane – they'll be confident of competing.
The Ulster side were left disappointed by not reaching last year’s Christy Ring Cup final but even if they had, it appeared Kildare were unstoppable. The Lilywhites move up to the Joe McDonagh with Meath dropping down, so the Oakleaf County will feel they can really challenge in the new season.
Down
Manager: Ronan Sheehan
Year: Five
Notes: Down have received a major boost in their pursuit of top-tier hurling as Dairmuid ‘Rock’ O’Sullivan has returned to Ronan Sheehan’s management team.
The Newry man has delved into his Cork roots to add O’Sullivan to his coaching staff for a second time, with the Rebel legend working with the side in 2019 before going onto to work with Kieran Kingston in Cork.
Former Dublin hurler Ryan O’Dwyer has stepped away but Tipperary native Barry Mullane, Mick Blair and Tony Austin will provide backup.
Down finished top of the Division 2A final last year but lost to Westmeath in the promotion final. Eoghan Sands is away travelling this season.
Kerry
Manager: Stephen Molumphy
Year: Two
Notes: Stephen Molumphy was linked to his native Waterford when that position came up at the end of the 2022 season, but his full focus was on his Kerry future.
He was a visible figure at many club championship games and has already added some fresh blood to his panel with a number of Kerry U20s expected to be added to the early-season panel.
Molumphy’s first season in charge was a frustrating one. They lost a Division 2A semi-final to eventual champions Westmeath by a goal, while Antrim squeezed them out in an extraordinary Joe McDonagh Cup final. They had allowed the Saffrons to storm into a 12-point lead but came out on the wrong side of a 5-22 to 4-24 scoreline.
If they win the Joe McDonagh in 2023, they should gain entry into the Munster Senior Hurling Championship group stage, with Congress set to ratify in February. What a motivational tool.
Kildare
Manager: David Herity
Year: Five
Notes: Herity is beginning the second-year of the new three-year term awarded after the 2021 season and the five-time Kilkenny All-Ireland winner will be hoping to continue Kildare’s progression.
He was present as Naas stormed their way through the club championship, and a few of their players can surely expect a call-up having impressed over a number of games.
Two Christy Ring Cups in three years meant that his name was always going to be mentioned in dispatches after Brian Cody left Kilkenny, but it’s the Lilywhites for now.
The side were relegated on their last visit to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2021, but their combined losing tally to Carlow and Westmeath was just four points, although Meath were much too strong in the relegation play-off. They’ll be aiming for better this time around.
Offaly
Manager: Johnny Kelly
Year: One
Notes: After Michael Fennelly’s exit, Johnny Kelly, a coach in the previous regime, has stepped up into the main role.
There had been speculation that Kelly would come in as a coach under Tipperary men Eamon O'Shea and Liam Sheedy, but he will instead lead the team in 2023.
His club CV is an impressive one, spear-headed by a 2009 All-Ireland success with Galway’s Portumna while Borris-Ileigh of Tipperary and Offaly’s Coolderry have also enjoyed success under his watch.
One notable appointment is that of Tipperary legend Brendan Maher who will act as performance coach. His brother Martin is also in as head coach.
MAHER: I AM NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST
DIVISION 2B
Donegal
Manager: Mickey McCann
Year: Six
Notes: One of the longest serving managers on the scene is back for another season as Donegal aim to build on what has been a promising few years.
Two Nickey Rackard successes arrived under his watch, but he felt that he was ready to step away after last year’s semi-final loss to Tyrone before changing his mind after speaking to some of the players.
They have lost a key player in Davin Flynn who has stepped away while Christopher McDermott has also left the panel, but there will be 10 players involved from the Setanta side who won the Ulster Junior Hurling crown.
Veteran Sean McVeigh has also retired, but McCann said that he hopes to talk him into giving it one more season.
London
Manager: Kevin McMullan
Year: Four
Notes: Antrim native Kevin McMullan has been handed a new two-year term by London GAA ahead of the 2023 season.
McMullan has been in the English capital since 2015 and is heavily involved with the Robert Emmett’s club, managing and training their senior side.
It’s been a difficult period for London with Covid-19 heavily impacting their programme in recent seasons, but they had a steady return to action in 2022.
They stayed safe in Division 2B with wins over Mayo and Wicklow while they also earned a mid-table Christy Ring Cup finish after a two-year hiatus.
Meath
Manager: Seoirse Bulfin
Year: One
Notes: Meath clubs rubber-stamped Seoirse Bulfin’s appointment in mid-August, with the Limerick native serving under Royal boss Nick Weir until he stepped away at the end of the 2022 season.
Bulfin has worked closely with Davy Fitzgerald with a number of teams over the years.
Steven Clynch and David Reilly are staying on as selectors while Ciaran Keogh enters the fray as strength and conditioning coach.
John Perry will also assist with the psychology side of things having worked with a number of English soccer clubs and professional golfers in the past.
Sligo
Manager: Padraig Mannion
Year: Three
Notes: Padraig Mannion is back in for another season, but he could be down a few players with suggestions that a number of players, most notably Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, could commit solely to Tony McEntee’s football squad in 2023.
Still, it’s been an encouraging period for the county in this code and the Easkey players will bring real confidence into the season having claimed the Connacht junior title, only the second Sligo club to win a provincial hurling title. They've since progressed to the All-Ireland final.
Mannion’s men made it all the way to the Division 2B final last year where they lost narrowly to Derry. In 2020 they were in Division 3B. The progress has been obvious.
Tyrone
Manager: Michael McShane
Year: Three
Notes: The Tyrone hurling team are making massive strides forward, but there is no doubting that they will return to action with a cloud hanging over them in 2023.
That is a result of the sudden death of Damian Casey, one of Ulster's finest forwards, in Spain last June.
The Dungannon native was named Nickey Rackard Hurler of the Year posthumously, and the extremely popular man will be sorely missed in the Red Hand dressing room.
McShane, who guided Slaughtneil to a 10th Derry title in a row recently, will have to guide the team through that difficult period, and an interesting campaign ahead should help in that.
In 2022, Tyrone eased to the Nickey Rackard title with an 11-point win over Roscommon and also earned promotion to Division 2B.
Wicklow
Manager: Casey O’Brien
Year: One
Notes: It may be year one for O’Brien but it’s stint two as he returns to the hot seat in the Garden County.
The St Patrick’s clubman replaces Eamonn Scallan and will be repeat his success from his first time in charge. In that time, Wicklow won Division 3B [2010] and 3A titles [2011] and also reached two Christy Ring Cup finals where they lost to Kerry and London respectively.
Dual star Leighton Glynn will act as a coach and selector while Graham Keogh and Billy Cuddihy will be selectors. John Barrie will act as their S&C coach.
DIVISION 3A
Armagh
Manager: Karl McKeegan
Year: One
Notes: One Cushendall man exits the scene and another comes in as Karl McKeegan replaces the outgoing Terence McNaughton in what has been a difficult time for the Orchard hurlers.
McNaughton came in midway through the 2022 season with Padraig O’Connor exiting amidst rumours of player discontent. A Division 3A final defeat to Tyrone followed while they were unable to get out of the group in the Nickey Rackard Cup.
Antrim great McKeegan therefore will be hoping for a season of stability, and John Carson, Ruairi McGrattan and Micheal Murphy will be there to try and help him achieve that goal.
Long-serving goalkeeper Simon Doherty has retired after 13 years with the Orchard County.
Fermanagh
Manager: Joe Baldwin
Year: Four
Notes: Joe Baldwin had a lot of success with Ulster camogie sides, and he has brought real positivity to the Fermanagh hurlers too in his time involved so it was no major surprise that he has been handed a new three-year term.
Seamus Breslin has been added to the backroom team as a statistician and the addition of former Roscommon and Carlow football coach Steven Poacher is an eye-catching move.
Silverware has arrived in the form of a Lory Meagher Cup and a Division 3B title, and the main aim will be to avoid a quick relegation back to the bottom tier.
It should be noted that once again there will be no Fermanagh hurling championship, as has been the case since Lisbellaw defeated Lisnaskea in the 2013 final, so it’s great progress in difficult circumstances for the county side.
Louth
Manager: Paul McCormack
Year: Four
Notes: Paul McCormack initiated in September that he was happy to continue for a fourth season with the Wee County and the county board signed off on it in early October.
That was no major surprise with the Armagh native making a good impression with the Lory Meagher Cup secured in 2022 against Longford.
They also secured their Division 3A status last season, and McCormack – an All-Ireland winner with the Armagh footballers in 2002 – will hope to push harder against the bigger names in that division next season.
Mayo
Managers: Tom Philips and Dave McConn
Year: One
Notes: Finding Derek Walsh’s successor has been a difficult process for Mayo. Five candidates initially showed interest with two withdrawing and the other three being interviewed. All three, who were from outside the county, were deemed unsuitable leading to Mayo opting to head-hunt instead.
In the end, Tom Philips and Dave McConn have been handed the gig on a two-year term.
The pair had previously served under Walsh as coaches while they will be served in that department by Mike Ryan.
Monaghan
Manager: Arthur Hughes
Year: Two
Notes: Arthur Hughes is getting ready for the second year of his two-year term after what was a hugely frustrating 2022 campaign.
The Farney County started their Lory Meagher Cup campaign with wins over Cavan and Louth, hitting eight goals in the process. However, following an investigation by the GAA’s CCCC, it was deemed that they had fielded an ineligible player and those two wins were awarded to the opposition. That meant a final place was ultimately beyond them despite the side winning two of their three remaining fixtures.
Hughes will be able to call on the same backroom team in 2023 that assisted him in his first year with the team.
Roscommon
Manager: Francis O’Halloran
Year: Two
Notes: O’Halloran is back for a second season with the Rossies with Tommy Guilfoyle returning as coach while Steve Cusack remains to oversee the strength and conditioning.
The Connacht side had a disappointing end to their Division 3A campaign as they lost out to Armagh in the semi-final. Promotion will be a key aim this season.
They topped the group stages of the Nickey Rackard Cup but lost the final to Tyrone, so that’ll be another goal. Basically they need to turn nearly moments into something tangible.
DIVISION 3B
Warwickshire
Managers: John Collins, Luke Hands, Padraic Crehan and Steven Ahern.
Year: One
Notes: It took to late December to confirm, but Warwickshire have an extensive team in place for the 2023 season with John Collins, Luke Hands, Padraic Crehan and Steven Ahern replacing Chris Brough, who had been in charge since 2019.
The backroom team includes Michael Collins, Andrew Kavanagh and John Gardiner.
Last season was a difficult campaign with the side losing nine of their 10 league and championship games with relief coming in the form of a Division 3A draw with Louth.
They will play in the Lory Meagher this year and will hope to be competitive. Likewise the league, which starts when Leitrim visit Páirc na hÉireann on 5 February.
Cavan
Manager: Ollie Bellew
Year: Three
Notes: Antrim’s Ollie Bellew is back in the saddle, as is Galway’s Tomás Mannion.
The county have decided to train the senior and U20 teams together for the 2023 season, so the U20 management - Michael Boyle and Pat O’Flaherty - have been absorbed into the senior coaching team to form one unit.
The 2022 season was tough, no doubt about it. The league brought four losses, three of them heavy, while five more followed in the Lory Meagher Cup – although they were competitive in a number of games.
Lancashire
Notes: Lancashire are now likely to appoint a new manager in January for the forthcoming season.
Antrim man Liam Knocker, who hurled for many years for the team, has been linked to the position.
Leitrim
Manager: Olcan Conway
Year: Four
Notes: Olcan Conway has decided to stay on for a fourth season, and that’s not a major surprise given that he probably feels that there is some unfinished business from last year.
Their Division 3B promotion hopes were ended by a strong Longford outfit at the semi-final stage, and there was more frustration in the Lory Meagher Cup as a two-point home loss to eventual champions Louth cost them a spot in the final.
Derry native Conway will have the same backroom team for the forthcoming season.
Longford
Manager: Adrian Moran
Year: Two
Notes: Adrian Moran’s first year in charge was a positive one for Longford, and he’ll be hoping for even better in 2023.
The side made it to the Division 3B final where they lost narrowly to Fermanagh, who had also edged them in the group stage.
Another good campaign followed in the championship, the Leinster side again making it back to the final where they lost out to Louth. A 3-14 tally would be enough to win many deciders, but 3-27 at the other end cost them.
They should be back hunting for those two titles in 2023.
CONNACHT HURLING LEAGUE
Manager: Richie Hartnett
Year: One
Notes: New York return to Ireland for competitive hurling next month as Richie Hartnett's side will compete in the Connacht League, starting with a clash with Leitrim on 2 January.
The Kerry native is hoping that their participation will instigate a Lory Meagher Cup invitation in the very near future.
Hartnett will be assisted by Toby Kavanagh, Alan Gleeson, Eamonn Fitzgerald and trainer Sean Kelly, who played with Cesc Fabregas and trained with the likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp whilst with the Arsenal academy as a youngster.
Former Galway footballer Johnny Glynn will miss out through injury.
