Hurling rankings 2014: How does your county rate?

By James McMahon

We assess the contribution made by the counties who participated in the race for Liam MacCarthy.

Last year's placing in brackets.

1: (5) Kilkenny

For the seventh time in Brian Cody's managerial career, the Cats achieved a league and championship double. Doubts about their demise after a poor summer campaign in 2013 were, to say the least, greatly exaggerated.

At times, Kilkenny teetered on the brink. Galway reeled them in late on in the Leinster semi-final and Tipperary were within millimetres of All-Ireland glory. Yet, in the respective replays, the Black and Amber showed he was boss.

Limerick tried with all their might to remove Cody's men at the semi-final stage. On a day that the heavens above unleashed its full fury, the Treaty surge was met with undoubted resistance.

The capture of more silverware was followed by notable retirements in the Kilkenny camp, with David Herity, Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, Aidan Fogarty and JJ Delaney all calling it a day. Indeed, many thought the latter would hang around and aim for a tenth All-Ireland medal.

2015 prospects: As is his way, Brian Cody will want to win every match. New players will be tried out and the training session will be just as ferocious. Wexford are Kilkenny's likely opponents in the Leinster semi-final at Nowlan Park. The Yellowbellies have improved and won't lack for effort on the Cats' own patch.

2: (8) Tipperary

So near and yet... A familiar story for Tipp in both the league and All-Ireland finals. They'll be disappointed with how they performed in the second-half of the September replay – at times consigned to the role of onlooker as Kilkenny dictated affairs.

Manager Eamon O'Shea will lead the team again 2015 and talks about "unfinished business" as he plots the year ahead.

2015 prospects: Tipperary have the players to mount a serious All-Ireland challenge and they won't mind which route they take. Will have to wait until 21 June before they make their championship bow – but a date with either Clare or Limerick is one to savour.

3: (4) Limerick

Donal O'Grady's departure from the Limerick set-up on Easter Sunday threatened to derail their season, but credit to all involved for knuckling down and ensuring that the Treatymen played their part in a another fine hurling summer.

A late flurry from TJ Ryan's men floored Tipperary on 1 June. They went down fighting in their defence of the Munster title, no doubt regretting the goal chances spurned against Cork.

Wexford were easily swept aside in the All-Ireland quarter-final, before Limerick manfully stood toe-to-toe with the Cats in the last four and came up just short

2015 prospects: Limerick will be favoured to finally escape from Division 1B in the spring. The Munster championship draw is tough, but the big-game experience gained in recent seasons should leave them well prepared for such challenges.

4: (3) Cork

Jimmy Barry Murphy's side achieved promotion in the spring and regained the Munster crown in mid-July. Everything was going well ahead of another crack at the All-Ireland series.

Their old foes Tipperary stood before them at the semi-final stage. We expected a cracker, the first meeting of the sides at Croke Park. For reasons, I'm sure they're still trying to work out on Leeside, Cork never turned up. Their first touch was off. They looked like a team who had just assembled for the first time.

2015 prospects: Returning to the top tier in the League will aid the Rebels ahead of a championship campaign where they will be desperate to atone for their no-show against Tipp. They should have enough to beat Waterford and get to a Munster final. After that is where JBM's troops will really have to stand up and be counted.

5: (9) Wexford

It was a year of progress for Liam Dunne's Wexford and with the U-21s winning a Leinster title and getting to an All-Ireland final, there are good signs the improvement will continue.

The win over Clare in extra-time after a replay was the highlight of the Model county's year – absorbing contests that had many twists and turns. Waterford were also dispatched on the back-door circuit before a rampant Limerick had a way too much for a now jaded Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

2015 prospects: They will be expected to push hard for promotion from Division 1B in the spring and at least reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again.

6: (2) Dublin

After the highs of 2013, the Dubs failed to raise any gallop and offered little in relinquishing their Leinster crown to Kilkenny and then falling to Tipp in the All-Ireland quarters.

After six years in charge, Anthony Daly subsequently called time on his tenure. The Clare native certainly raised the profile of Dublin hurling and who will forget the league final win over Kilkenny and the long-awaited Leinster success against Galway on sun-kissed days at Croke Park.

New boss Ger Cunningham has a good base upon which to get the side back up and running.

2015 prospects: If the players respond to Cunningham, Dublin can be competitive on all fronts. The Leinster quarter-final date with Galway on 31 May will be crucial. Victory there could set them up for a long summer.

7: (1) Clare

Most observers expected Clare to mount a serious defence of their All-Ireland title, but the failure to win a championship match in 2014 was hugely disappointing. In truth, Wexford should have shown them the exit door in the drawn All-Ireland qualifier in Ennis on 5 July.

There is no denying that Davy Fitzgerald has a talented bunch of players at his disposal and more success at U-21 level shows that the supply lines are in good working order.

2015 prospects: The expectation is that Clare will bounce back. As a result, much focus will be on their early league games for signs of re-invigoration. Their Munster campaign begins with a clash against Limerick. Win that and Tipperary are the opposition and we're only at the semi-final stage.

A second All-Ireland title in three years will be hard won by Fitzy's young guns

8: (6) Galway

It's not too often that teams come from nine points down with ten minutes to go to force a draw with Kilkenny in the white heat of championship. Galway summoned up their reserves to do just that in the Leinster semi-final. However, that was as good as it got for Tribesemen in the summer just past.

The Cats were comfortable winners in the replay and Tipperary's second-half surge proved too much for Anthony Cunningham's side in the qualifiers.

2015 prospects: Galway remain an enigma and it's hard to know at this point what kind of year they'll have. Facing Dublin at Croke Park in their Leinster opener won't be easy.

9: (7) Waterford

A brilliant goal from Austin Gleeson lit up their Munster opener against Cork in a match where the Rebels were put to the pin of their collar to force a replay.

The Deise had no answers the second day out and were well beaten. A victory over Laois followed, before they ran Wexford close in final round of qualifiers.

Looking to the future, manager Derek McGrath has replaced many established players with rising stars from the All-Ireland winning minor side of 2013.

2015 prospects: Waterford will begin the year in Division 1B where McGrath will assess his emerging talent. The squad should be good enough to get to a league quarter-final before setting their sights on Cork in the Munster.

10: (11) Laois

Once again, Laois ran Galway close in the quarter-final, further underlining the improvement in the side under Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett. A couple of months earlier they contested a league quarter-final against Clare.

2015 prospects: Will be disappointed if they don't get to the league knock-out stage again. The draw in Leinster is favourable with regard to 'Cheedar's' troops reaching the last four.

11: (10) Offaly

It was a difficult first year in charge for Brian Whelehan. His side had to beat Kerry to preserve their Division 1B league status. In the championship they suffered a mauling at the hands of the Cats at Nowlan Park.

The resilience of a previous era was seen when they struck late to edge out Antrim in the qualifiers. That was as good as it got for the Faithful in 2014.

2015 prospects: Unlikely to figure in the push for promotion from 1B. The summer campaign offers the prospect of at least getting to a provincial semi-final.

12: (13) Antrim

The Saffrons went unbeaten in the Leinster round-robin. However, Wexford proved too good for them in the quarter-final before. Offaly, perhaps undeservedly, edged them out in the back-door.

2015 prospects: Should be good enough to get to a Leinster quarter-final again.

13: (12) Carlow

Expectations were high that Carlow could have a good year after club success for Mount Leinster. However, defeat to Kerry in the Division 2A final was the pre-cursor for a poor campaign in the Leinster round-robin.

Pat English succeeded John Meyler as manager and another appointment saw former Cork and Limerick boss, John Allen, come on board as an advisor.

2015 prospects: We'll wait to see whether Allen's experience can help Carlow. As of now it's hard to see them getting promotion or emerging from the qualifier group in Leinster.

14: (14) Westmeath

Beating Kildare to preserve their Liam MacCarthy Cup status was the only bright spot in an otherwise poor year for the midlanders.

2015 prospects: Looking ahead to the championship, Westmeath's first two games are at home in the round-robin and they'll be determined to make that advantage count.

15: (15) London

Finishing bottom of the round-robin group in Leinster meant that The Exiles dropped down to the Christy Ring Cup and will not be competing for Liam MacCarthy in 2015

2015 prospects: The second-tier competition is competitive and London will have to up their game if they are to contest its latter stages.

NOTE: Our Football and Hurling lists only feature teams that were eligible to compete for either Sam Maguire or Liam MacCarthy at the outset of the 2014 Championship.