Leitrim hurlers back in action after off-field turmoil

After the turmoil of the off season, it will be a relief for Leitrim hurlers to get back out on the field when they travel to Birmingham this weekend for the opening round of the Allianz NHL Division 3B campaign as they take on Warwickshire.

Saturday's clash in Páirc na hÉireann (2pm throw-in) comes after a proposed plan to eliminate National League hurling for four counties was shelved after a furious backlash from the hurling community all over the country as Leitrim, along with fellow Division 3B teams Longford and Fermanagh and Division 3A were threatened with expulsion from League hurling.

The plan would have seen those counties restricted to the Lory Meagher Cup based on the number of hurling clubs in the county was roundly rejected by the hurling community as purely as a cost cutting exercise although there has been some backlash to the plan being shelved as evidenced by comments made by members of the Provincial committees in their Convention reports.

An experimental Leitrim suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of New York in the Connacht Hurling League but the exploits of the Exiles in subsequently beating both a Galway Junior team and Mayo in the final hints that the result may not have been as catastrophic as first feared.

Olcan Conway's side twice beat Warwickshire last year, in the League and Lory Meagher Cup, and even though it is their second year in a row in Birmingham, Leitrim would be hopeful of repeating those results.

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Conway will be without Enda Moreton who is away travelling but if he can get the buy-in from players that he has got in recent years, Leitrim have the ability to get to the knockout stages of the League. 

Perhaps the controversy that engulfed the hurlers at the end of last year will provide an added impetus as Leitrim seek to go one better than they did last year when they reached the Final.