11 Kildare (Final NHL standing: 11)
Kildare’s Jack Sheridan celebrates scoring a goal. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
The year’s first job was completed comfortably, finishing a solid fourth in Division 1B. Now to stay in the Liam MacCarthy. They carry a genuine goal threat (only Cork and Dublin raised more green flags in the top two divisions of the league). David Qaulter, Jack Sheridan and Cathal Dowling all pose a threat if they can stay fit and if Kildare can win enough possession. Will be underestimated every day they go out and need to beat Offaly (at least) to avoid the Joe McDonagh in 2027.
10 Offaly (9)
Offaly’s Adam Screeney. Photograph: Inpho
It’s been slightly forgotten how competitive Offaly were in last year’s Leinster championship, with both Dublin and Wexford needing injury-time goals to rob victories against them. Winless in the league, they’ve endured a persistently lengthy injury-list and Johnny Kelly’s young squad could do with getting some or all of Charlie Mitchell, Ciaran Burke, James Mahon and Ruairi Kelly back soon, although Donal Shirley has done his cruciate and will miss the year. A lot will rest on Adam Screeney’s capacity for magic and not tripping up against Kildare on the last day.
9 Wexford (10)
Offaly’s Colin Spain tackles Jack O’Connor of Wexford. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Only had themselves to blame for not getting promoted to 1A. Dublin beat Down and Antrim by a combined 47 points, Wexford only beat Antrim by one and Down by two. A repeat of that sort of form will see them vulnerable to a humbling in Leinster – Offaly in Tullamore next month will be fraught with peril. On the up side, they’ve beaten Kilkenny and Galway in the past two seasons and they have both Jack O’Connor and Liam Ryan back after neither played a minute of the league.
8 Waterford (8)
Stephen Bennett of Waterford. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Their dreadful record in the Munster round-robin will change some year. It’s just hard to make an argument that it will be this year, given the immense strength at the top of affairs. Conor Prunty is out for the first two games at least and though Jamie Barron and Stephen Bennett are back in harness, they both have a lot of hard miles on the clock. Austin Gleeson is back in the panel and the influence of former Cork coach Donal O’Rourke will be interesting to watch.
7 Dublin (7)
Dublin’s John Hetherton. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
With expectations lifted by the win over Limerick in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s second year comes with excuses at a minimum. Liam Rushe is back in the mix, adding to an already strong-looking defence, and they have a very settled middle eight with Conor Donoghue and Conor Burke holding down midfield. Could do with some variety up front, where long, high balls to Ronan Hayes and/or John Hetherton could have limited enough return in the long run. A Leinster final is there for them if they click.
6 Kilkenny (5)
Kilkenny’s TJ Reid. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Has a team looking to make it seven straight provincial championships ever gone into a summer with worse vibes? The sniping from the sidelines got a lot louder after the Galway hiding – Kilkenny is a county that can live with defeats but won’t tolerate humiliation. TJ Reid is back for his 20th season but Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan are still travelling and Eoin Murphy drops to the bench for the first time since 2014. One game could change everything but hard to imagine there’s an All-Ireland push in them.
5 Galway (4)
Galway’s Conor Whelan. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Huge improvement so far in Micheál Donoghue’s second year. A smattering of new forwards has taken the burden off Conor Whelan and Cathal Mannion and they came within a late goal-line clearance against Limerick of making the league final. The opener against Kilkenny has to be the bellwether – win at home and they’re set up for the road ahead. Lose though and it will feel like all the progress of the spring has been for nothing. Only a handful of the 2018 Leinster-winning team remain – time for a new generation to step up.
4 Clare (5)
Clare’s Tony Kelly. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho
Tidied away the Division 1B final after a decent battle with Dublin, even though they were down probably a third of their best team. Seriously experienced in every line, with an age profile still just about the right side of the tipping point. Tony Kelly’s return is timely and Adam Hogan has overcome a broken finger. No leeway for a repeat this weekend of last year’s slip-up against Waterford. Major players in the four-way battle for three Munster graduate spots.
3 Tipperary (3)
Tipperary’s Stefan Tobin. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho
Got just about as much and as little as they wanted out of the league. Stefan Tobin was a decent find and his form for the under-20s has made him a viable candidate to snatch a starting spot. Mikey Breen, Ronan Maher and John McGrath all featured more towards the end of the league and will be cornerstones again. Quiet build-up to this weekend will suit them and they’re entitled to be a bit miffed at the underdogs tag. Huge contenders again.
2 Cork (2)
Cork’s Eoin Downey. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Doubts remain, clearly. Have the ability to look irresistible when they’re in full flow – their speed, power and handling is unstoppable when the needle hits the groove. But the simple truth is that they should have won an All-Ireland by now and until they do, they will be stained in the eyes of the sceptics. Will need to prove that Cork spikiness isn’t just a feature of Ben O’Connor’s post-match interviews. You can’t be a coming team forever – at some point you have to arrive.
1 Limerick (1)
Limerick’s Cathal O’Neill. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Easily the best team in the league, partly because they played like it was important to remind themselves what they were capable of. Aidan O’Connor flourished under the free-taking responsibility, Cathal O’Neill and Adam English are established now after a few seasons of looking over their shoulders. Could do with the Morrissey brothers getting back to full fitness but in general, John Kiely will be happy. Granite hard down through the spine and with Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch in wizard mode, they’re still the team everyone has to beat.