Team-by-Team Guide to Division One A:

Antrim

Manager:Dominic McKinley.

2007 NHL: Sixth, Division One B.

2007 SHC: Ulster champions, All-Ireland Quarter-finals.

Last NHL title: Haven't previously won the league.

2008: Antrim travel down to Parnell Park for their opening fixture. Last spring in Casement Park they put paid to Dublin's hopes of league play-off action and their tide has continued to rise at least as quickly as Dublin's has.

Their recent Walsh Cup final win over Offaly involved a five-point victory and 15 wides. Not bad for January hurling.

Neil McManus continues to hurl up a storm and Antrim's mix of old hands and confident youngsters gives them wild card status in the pack.

Cork

Manager: Gerald McCarthy.

2007 NHL: First, Division One A.

2007 SHC: AlI-Ireland semi-finals.

Last NHL title: 1998.

2008: Oh, how do you solve a problem like Cork? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand!

The Cork County Board continue to find their own players revolting and as such everything is skewed.

If jerseys and suits bury the hatchet in time to allow league participation can Cork recover to at least a position of respectability in the league?

And, if not and they do well in the championship this summer, will avoiding the league become the template for contenders next year.

Who knows, but where Cork go others always follow.

Dublin

Manager: Tommy Naughton.

2007 NHL: Fourth, Division One B.

2007 SHC: Leinster first round.

Last NHL title: 1939.

2008: Hope springs eternal. The Dubs have an underage garden teeming with talents and continue to harvest experience at the top level.

Good news is that the forward lines are boosted by the return to hurling of the immensely talented Dotsie O'Callaghan and Fitzgibbon Cup experience will fast-track the development of players such as Ross O'Carroll, Tomás Brady and Joey Boland. The imminent return from injury of the gifted Kevin O'Reilly will also be a plus.

On the downside, Ronan Fallon, the side's outstanding centre back is tied up with the St Vincent's footballers for the next while. Interesting times.

Kilkenny

Manager: Brian Cody.

2007 NHL: First, Division One B.

2007 SHC: All-Ireland champions.

Last NHL title: 2006.

2008: Walsh Cup Shame! Henry Crocked! Left Twiddling Thumbs At Start Of League! County Football Team Revived! Kilkenny Hurling's Darkest Hour!

With the Leinster championship in recession, Kilkenny generally take the league more seriously than they actually need to, looking to see if a few tyros have the X factor, firing warning shots across a few bows.

Expect them to look earnest whenever the playing starts. Before the big carnival of hype starts about the three-in-a-row, Kilkenny will seriously examine the watertight nature of two or three positions on the field.

Waterford

Manager: Justin McCarthy.

2007 NHL: Winners.

2007 SHC: All-Ireland semi-finals.

Last NHL title: 2007.

2008: The league and Munster champions are in the odd position of being always believed to be sipping in the last-chance saloon. Justin McCarthy has given Waterford everything except Liam McCarthy. This year's league will be the platform for another assault. They start the campaign with a neighbourly skirmish against Wexford and are weakened by key absences in Ken and Eoin McGrath, Tony Browne and All Star Stephen Molumphy who is in Germany with the Army.

League offers a chance of tenure to Shane O'Sullivan and the opportunity of a foothold for rising talents.

Wexford

Manager: John Meyler.

2007 NHL: Third, Division One A.

2007 SHC: All-Ireland semi-finals.

Last NHL title: 1973.

2008: The boys of Wexford endured something of a rollercoaster last year and, despite the victory over Tipperary, it will take all of John Meyler's considerable management skills to convince the Wexford public that the only gap that matters has been closed.

Michael Doyle is back from a year of injury troubles and has been playing in a beefy half-forward line with Willie Doran and Eoin Quigley. Dessie Mythen is just back in business as well and Stephen Nolan is in good form in colleges hurling. Brian Malone, from the footballers, has been guesting in defence. The future might not be as dark as it seemed on Leinster final day last year.