Division 1A

Antrim

Manager: Sean McNaughton

Last year: P6 W1 L5.

Significant departures: None.

Arrivals: Charlie McAllister, Mickey Kettle.

League ambitions: John McSparron (Hurling secretary): "The ambition every year is to survive in the top division. A lot will depend on what when we get the Dunloy players back."

On NHL starting a month earlier: "It is crazy. The conditions are a disaster - for players and spectators."

On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "The general feeling would be that a couple of games should be played before Christmas and I would agree with that." Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "My initial impression of the HDC was that you need a masters degree just to understand it. In my view it does nothing to promote hurling in Ulster and, instead, gives Galway the chance to make more comebacks that Frank Sinatra. We still favour an open draw."

Clare

Manager: Cyril Lyons

Last year: P6 W3 L3.

Significant departures: None.

Arrivals: Gerry Quinn, Conor Plunkett, Ger Considine.

League ambitions: Louis Mulqueen (selector) - "Obviously you set out to win, but something we will be looking for this year is more consistency. We also want to bring on some new players."

On NHL starting a month earlier: "The big problem is if you don't make the latter stages. That would mean we would have no competitive game from April 1st to June 3rd. It does help motivate players for training at this time of year." On reverting to a pre- Christmas start? "It is getting very congested at this time of year, but the big problem is the conditions. Players train to play in the summer."

Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "It's good to get two guaranteed games. The league still serves its purpose, but it puts savage commitment on players."

Dublin

Manager: Kevin Fennelly Last year: P6 W2 L4.

Significant departure: Liam Walsh. Arrivals: None League ambitions: Kevin Fennelly - "It's my first chance to get to know more about the players and finalise the panel. We'll also try out new players." On NHL starting a month earlier: "I think that it is too early, but it actually suits us fine this year in that I am eager to get the players involved in a competition, and to establish some sort of consistency." On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "I would support that. It would be better to play a couple of games before Christmas and then start again in March."

Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "There is a fear that the league might be reduced further. But I would have questions about the current league format anyway. The championship is also open to further debate in the years ahead, so it's a long way off being perfect."

Galway

Manager: Noel Lane Last year: P6 W6 L0; winners.

Significant departure: Joe Cooney. Arrival: Cathal Murray (Sarsfields). League ambitions: Noel Lane - "It is vital for us to get into the latter stages. Otherwise we could be finished on April 1st and then have 17 weeks before our next championship game."

On NHL starting a month earlier: "For us, ending the league proper on April 1st is a bit of a disaster. It's not right to start so early, especially with the weather so umpredictable." On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "I would support that. But I would also like to see one top division of six or seven teams. We have to play the likes of Dublin, Meath and Antrim. It would be better to have the top teams together." Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "I don't think so. The league is still the most important competition outside the championship, and is a vital conveyor belt for developing players."

Limerick

Manager: Eamonn Cregan Last year: P6 W5 L1; beaten semi-finalists. Significant departures: n Ciaran Carey, Joe Quaid, Dave Clarke. Arrivals: Peter Lawlor, Willie Walsh, John Meskell, Damien Reale.

League ambitions: Eamonn Cregan - "The main aim is to build a championship side. We have plenty of young players - it's just a question of time before we challenge for an All-Ireland."

On NHL starting a month earlier: "What you have is too much soft conditions. That does nothing to develop younger players. You'd have better matches if it started later." On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "A more compact league should be looked at."

Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "There are a lot more matches and it will mean that the league will have to start before Christmas. But it makes for a more intensive period of competition. That can only shorten players' careers."

Meath

Manager: John Davis Last year: Promoted from Division Two.

Significant departures: Niall McKeigue, Ben Murray, James Mitchell, Paul Donnelly. Arrivals: John Horan, Chucky Keenan, Gary Cole.

League ambitions: John Davis - "The most important this for us is to survive. It's going to be very hard coming up from Division Two, but if we have our full panel, then I think we can stay there."

On NHL starting a month earlier: "The weather conditions are definitely not ideal, and it does very little to promote hurling. Another big mistake was the hike in admission price to £7."

On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "I never thought there was anything wrong with playing some games before Christmas."

Will the HDC championship format affect the NHL? "I think the league will have to be changed because the season is too condensed at the moment."

Offaly

Manager: Michael Bond Last year: P6 W4 L2. Significant departure: Joe Dooley. Arrivals: Joe Brady, Rory Hannify, Damien Murray. League ambitions: Michael Bond - "Players are only coming back into serious training. You can be flying on a soft surface, but it's a different game in the summer." On NHL starting a month earlier: "Running off half of the programme in the first three weeks is very unsatisfactory for a team that's been involved in the All-Ireland series. Conditions are bad and you can't learn anything from playing on pitches at this time of year." On reverting to a pre-Christmas start: "I thought the whole idea behind moving the league in the first place was to provide a rest for teams in the winter."