We're over a month into the new season and Galway hurlers are tipping away in Division 1B of the Allianz League.
So far they've won four from four and so remain on track for promotion. Next weekend sees them face Limerick in a winner-takes-all clash to decide who'll be playing in the top tier in 2019.
The All-Ireland champions have not produced any fireworks so far, but that may change against the Shannonsiders at Pearse Stadium.
For midfielder Johnny Coen, all the work done to date has been in preparation for their Liam MacCarthy defence. That said, he and his troops will be doing their utmost to get back to the top flight.
"We are building steadily towards the championship as we know full well what it took last year to win the All-Ireland," he told RTÉ Sport.
"Everybody is looking to take down the All-Ireland champions. We are training hard and trying to get ourselves into the best physical shape. Hopefully our hurling will be up to standard.
"Nothing will be spared in effort to beat Limerick. We are taking nothing for granted. It will take a piece of brilliance from certain players, two or three subs to come on, the bounce of a ball. It's a good challenge for us at this stage of the spring.
"You want to be playing against the best to see where exactly you are. Are you training hard enough? Are you at the level you need to be at?"
"Being in 1B didn't do us any harm year, but the promotion target is there and that's what we want to reach.
"We are happy with our preparations so far. In fact, We are happy to be under the radar. So far, people have been looking at the form of Wexford and Clare and how much they have progressed."
The league also unearthed a few promising players for the Tribes, with Coen adding: "Shane Cooney has done well at wing back and Brian Concannon has established himself as a right good forward. I think ten new faces were drafted in at the start of the year."
