Two weeks tonight Rathnure take on last year’s finalists, St Anne’s, in the opening round of the Pettitts Senior Championship at Bellefield.

Unlucky to go out to the Rapparees at the quarter final stage last season, Rathnure will be keen to improve on that performance.

Brian Quigley has recovered from a cruciate injury, and Michael Redmond also returned to training this week from a bad concussion last November.

One of last year’s young guns, AJ Redmond steps up to the senior grade, what role will he have this year? We caught up with the Rathnure manager, Anthony McCormack, at training on Thursday evening.