Having successfully defended the Leinster Junior Hurling Shield, Louth's hurlers must focus immediately on the Nicky Rackard Cup. The Wee County retained the provincial Shield with a 2-12 to 0-9 defeat of Warwickshire at Dowdallshill last Saturday, but they must open their championship campaign against Monaghan in Dundalk just seven days later - June 6 at 3.30. This is a testing opener against the side that the Reds only just about negotiated at the semi-final stage of the third-tier competition last year, so manager Pat Clancy is under no illusions: "I expect nothing less than a tight match from it. They have been playing in the Ulster championship and they were in the Division Four final. "They are a good team and we expect a tough match, but we have two or three players to come back in." Tweet

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