ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE:SATURDAY'S ALLIANZ National Hurling League opener against Kilkenny marks Tipperary's first small step towards the defence of their All-Ireland title, and one giant leap in the managerial career of Declan Ryan.

It may be over four decades since Tipperary last won back-to-back All-Irelands – 1964-65 – yet Ryan can take some encouragement from the fact the last time a county won the hurling title with a first-season manager they also won it back-to-back.

That was in 2005, when Cork won their second successive All-Ireland, under John Allen – who the year before had won an All-Ireland with Cork as a selector under manager Donal O’Grady.

Surprisingly, O’Grady stepped down after Cork’s 2004 victory, citing work and family obligations; likewise with Liam Sheedy in Tipperary last September, who along with coach Eamon O’Shea and selector Michael Ryan, decided to step down on a winning note.

So Declan Ryan is handed the responsibility of defending the title on his first senior managerial appointment. That’s not quite as daunting as it might sound.

Ryan is well acquainted with many of the panel, having worked with them as Tipperary minor manager in 2007, or in the case of Brendan Cummins, Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett, playing alongside them.

Ryan’s selectors – Tommy Dunne and Michael Gleeson – are similarly acquainted; Dunne would know a large number of them from his work with the Tipperary under-21s last season (who also captured the All-Ireland), while Gleeson was manager at Thurles Sarsfields, who won the last two county titles.

Brendan Maher is a prime example: the 2010 All-Ireland winning midfielder, All Star, and young hurler of the year has already worked with Dunne, as he was also part of Tipperary’s under-21 All-Ireland winning team, and before that worked with Ryan, on the 2007 All-Ireland minor winning team.

“It really doesn’t feel like much of a change,” says Maher.

“A lot of us had Declan as minors, and then Tommy at under-21 last year. But we’re not thinking of back-to-back All-Irelands, or anything like that. We’re taking it year by year. It’s the same as 2010. We weren’t thinking about 2009. And it’s going to be no different this year. It’s 2011, just the start of another year.”

To further ease the transition from the Sheedy to the Ryan era, most other members of the back-room team have stayed on, including physical trainer Cian O’Neill: “John Casey, our physio, and Mick Clohessy, our masseur, are there as well,” says Maher.

“I think it’s great that all those lads have stayed on. It’s nice to have those same faces around.”

Tipperary beat Kilkenny in the league last year and many saw that as a sign of things to come. Naturally, Maher expects something of a backlash on Saturday evening in Thurles, particularly as Tipperary aren’t long back from their team holiday in Jamaica.

“It’s anyone’s game at this time of the year. Everyone is starting on the same playing field. But yeah, any time you win a game and beat Kilkenny, you’d take the positives out. And right now there is great competition for places. It makes training better and the intensity is up.

“We’ve a great addition in James Woodlock coming back (at midfield) after a long lay-off. There are definitely a lot of lads there fighting for the two jerseys at midfield.”

Ryan will be without three of Tipperary’s six main forwards for Saturday, as captain Eoin Kelly is getting married tomorrow, while Lar Corbett and John O’Brien are injured. One further change from their All-Ireland winning line-up will be the likely introduction of David Young at right-half back for the now-retired Declan Fanning.

Galway, meanwhile, will begin the defence of their league title with a significantly weakened team, as manager John McIntyre finds himself without several first-choice players for Sunday’s opening game against newly-promoted Wexford.

Forward Joe Canning is among the list of notable absentees as he continues to recover from a heel injury.

Last year’s league winning captain Shane Kavanagh also misses out, as will Richie Cummins, while Clarinbridge duo Barry Daly and Eoin Forde are preparing for the All-Ireland club semi-final against De La Salle later this month.

Other players not featuring are Damien Joyce, Fergal Moore, Kevin Hynes and Damien Hayes. Ollie Canning has retired, and McIntyre has also yet to confirm a new captain.

Dublin are still hoping midfielder Johnny McCaffrey will be available for their opening game against Waterford, as an appeal has been submitted on the straight red card he received in the Walsh Cup semi-final last Saturday week. In the meantime manager Anthony Daly is also expected to be without Maurice O’Brien (ankle) and Ryan O’Dwyer (shoulder), along with long-term injury victim Alan McCrabbe.

Last weekend’s postponed Allianz Football League Division Three game between Louth and Westmeath has been rescheduled for this Saturday evening under the lights at the Geraldines club grounds in Haggardstown (7.30).

Division One Managers

TipperaryDeclan Ryan (first year)

GalwayJohn McIntyre (third year)

DublinAnthony Daly (third year)

OffalyJoe Dooley (fourth year)

WexfordColm Bonner (third year)

KilkennyBrian Cody (13th year)

CorkDenis Walsh (third year)

WaterfordDavy Fitzgerald (fourth year)