Kiltale and Dunderry tipped for Junior honours

Often seen as a 'social' championship, a campaign where wily old veterans give it one last swing of the ash or up-and-coming youngsters try to make a name for themselves, the JHC and Junior B HC is never short of entertainment and intrigue.

Whether it's former inter-county stars or Jubilee Cup winners from yesteryear or young lads just out of minor, the quality is often quite impressive, even if the legs won't do what the head wants them to do in many cases.

Last year Kilmessan won the JHC, the year before it was Kildalkey. In both cases the success of the reserve teams helped boost the mood around their respective clubs and that can only serve the senior teams well.

Kildalkey are the only third team in operation in the JHC and while they did win it a couple of years ago and have huge numbers playing hurling in the club it is hard to see them repeating their feat of 2023.

Drumree and St Peter's are the only non-senior club second teams that are involved in the JHC, but having just been relegated from the top table St Peter's will still consider themselves as possible contenders for honours.

It will be all hands on deck for O'Mahonys as they face a tough test to stay senior and that quest might impact on their second team as they seek to find winning formulas.They did manage to win Div 5 of the league with a victory over Dunderry who now operate in junior B.

Clann na nGael, Killyon and Drumree will all use this championship to give youth their fling and could be serious contenders, but Kiltale look like the ones they will all have to beat.

JUNIOR B HC

The problem with the Junior B HC is that all the clubs involved start the campaign with all the intentions in the world of providing hurling for everyone who wants it within their clubs, but by the time the second and third round of the competition comes around that enthusiasm has waned and players drop off.

Making a concrete call on who are the most serious contenders for the honours is next to impossible - you could stick a pin in the list, but without reverting to that rudimentary approach maybe Dunderry's second string might be good enough to prevail.