Cormac O'Doherty is the new Derry senior hurling captain. (Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile)
Cormac O'Doherty has been named as captain of the Derry senior hurling captain.
The Slaughtneil man takes over the mantle from club-mate Sean Cassidy, with Kevin Lynch's Conor Kelly as Vice Captain.
The Oakleafers, under the guidance of new managerial duo Dominic McKinley and Cormac Donnelly, open their league campaign away to Mayo as they aim to get out of Division 2B after losing the last two finals under previous manager John McEvoy.
This year, the format is different with the top team gaining automatic promotion. It leaves Derry's trip to Hawkfield to face Kildare as a crunch game in the promotion race.
ALSO READ: Five set of brothers in new-look Derry hurling panel. Click here...
In championship action, Derry are once again chasing a first ever Christy Ring Cup title. A defeat to Kerry was their closest, while there were narrow defeats to eventual winners Kildare and Meath in the 2018 and 2019 semi-finals.
Last year, they bowed up against Offaly, but will once again cross swords with old adversaries Wicklow in the group stages.
Derry's group will be played in round robin format and each team with the top two teams qualify for the semi-finals and the third-placed team will play in the Quarter-Final.
In Group B, Sligo and Offaly will play in one fixture with the winner playing in the semi-finals, and the loser playing in the Quarter-Final.
The winner of the quarter-final will play in the semi-finals and the loser will be relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup for 2022. The winner of the Christy Ring Cup shall be promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup.
NHL Division 2B
Sun, May 9 – Mayo v Derry (Castlebar 3.00)
Sun, May 23 – Kildare v Derry (Hawkfield 4.00)
Sun, June 6 – Derry v Donegal (Celtic Park 2.00)
Sat, June 12 – Derry v Roscommon (Celtic Park 2.00)
CHRISTY RING CUP
Group A - Derry, Roscommon and Wicklow
Group B - Sligo and Offaly
Group A games
26/27 June - Wicklow v Roscommon
3/4 July - Roscommon v Derry
10/11 July - Derry v Wicklow
Group B play-off
3/4 July - Offaly v Sligo
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.