Lory Meagher inclusion the next step on New York's pathway

On Tuesday next at the Connacht GAA Air Dome, the New York hurlers will take on Leitrim in the preliminary round of the Connacht Hurling League.

It's the second year that a team from the Big Apple will participate, with 2023 bringing success in the Shield competition. However, New York also have their sights set on being part of the championship structure and with it a place in the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025.

Plans were submitted to Croke Park before Covid hit, so delaying the whole process. A meeting with Galway hurling development officials in 2022 got the ball rolling again, eventually paving the way for entry into the Connacht League.

In advance of New York again playing on Irish soil, their manager Eamon Fitzgerald outlined where things are currently at with regard to Lory Meagher acceptance.

"Back in September we had a meeting with Croke Park and put a presentation together for them on why we feel we should enter the competition," he told RTÉ Sport.

"We gave them different formats on how it would work. The way the competition is at the moment is that six teams compete and they play each other in a round-robin basis. Something like that would not be suitable for New York from a financial point of view. Our job was to come up with a format as to how the competition would be structured. The meeting with Croke Park was positive enough, so we're very hopeful.

"Can we get a committment from the players here? There is a massive committment when you're playing for New York; players travel long distances to get to training. Last year we competed in the Connacht League and had a very successful trip. That is a positive."

Naturally, Fitzgerald feels that participation in the Lory Meagher will be a benefit to New York GAA and keep