By Kevin Regan
This weekend sees the Carlow Senior Football Championship kick into action, with Eire Og and Kildavin Clonegal getting the competition underway on Friday Night in Netwatch Cullen Park.
Here we assess each teams prospects for the year.
Group 1
Eire Og
Manager: Joe Murphy
Captain: Benny Kavanagh
Key Player: Sean Gannon
Young Gun: Reece Deneiffe
Bookmakers Odds: 5/4
Verdict: It’s looking very good for Eire Og so far this season, particularly after demolishing Old Leighlin in the League Final. Championship is a different ball game but I fancy the YI’s to take top honors this year.
Kildavin Clonegal
Manager: Paul Carty
Captain: TBA
Key Player: Donal Hickey
Young Gun: Dan Murphy
Bookmakers Odds: 14/1
Verdict: The loss of Daniel St Ledger is huge and its hard to see Kildavin Clonegal making the knockout stages in a group with Old Leighlin, Eire Og and Rathvilly, so relegation could be looming.
Old Leighlin
Manager: Des Shaw
Captain: Pat Hickey
Key Player: Hughie Gahan
Young Gun: Niall Roche
Odds: 7/2
Verdict: You would have to fancy Old Leighlin to have a good run in the championship, particularly after reaching the past two finals. Under Des Shaw they have a young manager with fresh ideas so reaching another county final is very likely.
Rathvilly
Manager: Victor Doyle and Sean Kavanagh joint managers
Captain: JJ Smith
Key Player: Gary Dempsey
Young Gun: Colin Byrne
Bookmakers Odds: 4/1
Verdict: Without Brendan Murphy in the early stages you would feel that the quarter final route as opposed to topping the group and progressing straight to a semi final is the likely path they will take, and if Murphy returns to bolster the squad then anything is possible. Semi Finalists.
Group 2
Palatine
Manager: Pat Murphy and Mick Lillis
Captain: Jason Kane
Key Player: Ciaran Moran
Young Gun: Shane O’Neill
Bookmakers Odds: 5/1
Verdict: The return of Mick Lillis as manager was always on the horizon even when he was in charge of Laois. It’s very hard to put back to back championships together and this year I think the semi finals is as far as Pal will go.
O’Hanrahans
Manager: Brian Lonergan
Captain: Ray Walker
Key Player: Simon Doyle
Young Gun: Graham Power
Bookmakers Odds: 12/1
Verdict: The Blues had a great league campaign and played some great football under new manager Brian Lonergan. They have come up on a high and could rattle a few cages this year. Quarter Finalists.
Tinryland
Manager: Mick Moore
Captain: TBA
Key Player: Diarmuid Walshe
Young Gun: Cathal Gaffney
Bookmakers Odds: 8/1
Verdict: The outcome of their first game with Rangers will be crucial and the loser of that game could find themselves in a relegation battle. Like last year, Tinryland could well be in that position again.
Mount Leinster Rangers
Manager: Gavin Morris
Captain: TBA
Key Player: Eddie Byrne
Young Gun: Kevin McDonald
Bookmakers Odds: 12/1
Verdict: As written above, the first game against Tinryland is crucial in order to avoid relegation with tricky assignments against Palatine and O’Hanrahans ahead. Quarter Finalists.
