LONDON hurling’s newly-appointed manager is confident his side has the ability to challenge for the Christy Ring Cup.
Fergus McMahon, who captained London to Nicky Rackard success in 2005, took over earlier this month from Tommy Harrell who left the Exiles after their last championship campaign.
London were demoted from the Liam McCarthy Cup, but their new manager believes the players at his disposal are more than good enough to challenge for silverware.
“We only just survived in Division Two last year and I’d like to win promotion,” McMahon told The Irish Post.
“Then the Christy Ring Cup — maybe we can get to the final of that or win it. The players are there. If they apply themselves, they’re definitely capable of achieving that.”
McMahon added that the group of players he can choose from is “pretty much the same” as last season’s crop.
One change the Meath man has overseen, however, is an earlier start to training than in previous seasons, something he is hoping can prove the difference later in the year.
It is understood that Clare's Bernard Gaffney and Galway's Ger Mahon togged-out with the squad at a recent session in Greenford,
“We’ve started [training] already. Last year, they were late getting started and it caught up with them at the end of the season," said McMahon.
“Kilburn are flying at the minute (they have an upcoming All-Ireland quarter-final) so hopefully when they join us we should be on a level playing field,” added McMahon, who also played for London in the 2009 final of the Nicky Rackard, which London narrowly lost to his native county.
London are set to begin their league campaign with a trip to Westmeath on February 15 next year with their first home match a week later against Carlow.
