Christy O'Connor: Eight teams look to push Leinster's open door

This Leinster championship doesn’t look so open considering that half of the eight teams have already won provincial titles.

LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP WIDE OPEN: All eight sides in the Leinster championship will also see this as a glorious opportunity – because this looks like the most open Leinster hurling championship in decades. Pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

In his column in these pages two weeks ago, the day after Ballyhale Shamrocks were beaten in the Kilkenny county final, Anthony Daly stated that one of the biggest beneficiaries of that result could yet be Slaughtneil.

The Derry champions don’t play an Ulster final until December 3rd, against the winners of next weekend’s semi-final between Cushendall and Portaferry. That will be a difficult challenge but, if Slaughtneil can win a fifth Ulster title in seven seasons, they’ll feel that if they are to ever cross that threshold and finally reach an All-Ireland club hurling final, this may be their best chance to do so.