Senior Hurling and Football Championship draws are made.

Passage will begin their defence of the Waterford News and Star Cup that they won for the first time in the clubs history last October with a game against city side Roanmore.

In football Ballinacourty will begin their defence of the Conway Cup with a game against Rathgormack.

The draws for the 2014 Senior Hurling and Football Championships were made this evening and have thrown up some interesting draws.

The Senior Hurling Championship will again draw the biggest interest in Waterford and many will be anxious to see if clubs that did well in 2013 can do the same again in 2014 or even better what they achieved in 2013, while others will be hoping to do much better than they managed to do in 2013.

Group one of the senior hurling championship has paired holders Passage with Abbeyside, De La Salle, Fourmilewater, Roanmore and Lismore.

This could well prove to be a group of death. Passage and De La Salle will be expected to advance from the group to contest the knockout stages of the championship, while little would be expected to between Abbeyside who reached last years semi finals, Fourmilewater who reached the same stage twelve months earlier while Lismore who had a very disappointing campaign in 2013 would be expected to fair much better this time around, and for many a place in the knockout stages is a must.

At this early stage many will be making Roanmore the favourites to be involved in a relegation battle again this year, but to right off the city side so easily at this early stage could prove foolish.

In Group Two the big two from the city in this group – Ballygunner and Mount Sion would be expected to advance to the knockout stages of the competition.

Dungarvan showed two years ago that they can be as good as anyone when they reached the county final for the first time since 1951, even if on the day defeat was to be their lot.

Last year they had a disappointing year, bowing out of the championship at the group stages when they lost their last group game to neighbours Abbeyside but they will know that they can do much better this year.

Ballyduff Upper two years ago were involved in a relegation battle but last year reached the quarter finals where they lost out to Passage. They will know that they are capable of at least reaching the same stages of the championship again in 2014 but it won’t be easy.

What happens with Tallow this year is hard to tell, as it all depends on which Tallow turns up. There is no disputing that they have some quality players. When Tallow are good they can be very good and are capable of beating anyone, but when Tallow have an off day they can be poor. Their season could be determined by the outcome of the game with neighbours Ballyduff. The winners of that game should advance to the quarter finals but for the looser it could be a long hard season.

Ardmore are back in the Senior ranks again this year after a number of years playing in the Intermediate ranks.

Their task in their first year as a duel senior club will have to be to retain their status. There is no doubting that they have the players to do so, but been a duel club could effect them as clubs that have come up to senior from Intermediate have found it hard to juggle both codes if they are a duel senior club.

In group one along with Roanmore playing Passage in first round of games, Abbeyside will play Fourmilewater and De La Salle will play Lismore.

In group two, Dungarvan and Ballygunner meet in what could well prove to be the pick of games in the first series of games across both groups, while Mount Sion play Tallow and Ballyduff play Ardmore.

In football, champions Ballinacourty are in group one along with An Rinn, Kilrossanty, Clashmore, Rathgormack and Ardmore.

This could well prove to be a very tough group.

If Ballinacourty were to fail to advance from the group it would be a major shock. An Rinn who reached the semi finals last year should also come out of the group stages of the competition as should Clashmore and Kilrossanty.

However it remains to be seen how Rathgormack will go. They cannot be ruled out of contention. They are the reigning under 21 champions and the players that won that final are a year older this year and a little more experienced.

Ardmore struggled last year. There is no doubting that they have some quality players, but something tells me trying to retain their senior hurling status, something that they are well capable of doing could well hinder their progress in the football championship.

In group two last years’ runners up are in a group along with their great rivals The Nire. Both should advance to the knockout stages of the competition, but the other two places could well prove to be a bit of a lottery.

Saint Saviours last year reached the quarter final stages of the championship after many years involved in a relegation dog fight and there is no reason why they cannot repeat their 2013 position again this year.

Ballinameela last year reached the quarter finals and just like Saint Saviours there is no reason why they cant again in 2014, but Gaultier last year were somewhat unlucky not to have finished higher up the table and they will know that if they were to get off to a good start this year, then there is no reason why they cant reach the last eight of the championship, while De La Salle who are a duel senior club could well prove to be a handful to most sides as they have some very good footballers within their ranks.

The opening round of games will see Rathgormack take on Ballinacourty, An Rinn play Clashmore and Kilrossanty play Ardmore in group one, while in group two Gaultier play Stradbally, The Nire play Ballinameela and Saint Saviours play De La Salle in the opening round of games.

In the past two years the game of the championship in both 2012 and 2013 was the meeting of The Nire and Kilrossanty in the quarter final stages of the championship and looking at this years groupings and how they will possibly pan out, it is possible that the two could meet again in the quarter finals, but if they do will the game prove to be the game of the championship again, and will Kilrossanty make it third time lucky in such clashes.