On Sunday we give thanks to the hardest working people in the world: our mammies.
Those of us who are lucky enough to still have them with us, don't forget it - and let this be your reminder.
Another week on in the Allianz Hurling League and the games have been a bit more intense, with added bite. They at least have that feeling that they mean more this year; at least for me they have.
We’ve also had changes to the GAA world in terms of Congress since our last round of games.
The main ones include the amendment all cards will carry on into extra-time, so if you’re sent off in normal time your team stays down to 14 in the extra halves. If you’re booked in normal time, that yellow card will carry over into extra time. It makes sense.
The other common sense motion was to stop punishing our best players and changing the one-week rule to a 60-hours timeline across all tiers for allowing players to be involved in Under-20s and senior inter-county games.
The saying, 'if they’re good enough, they’re old enough', has lost a lot of its meaning in recent years as many top-class players couldn't line out for both teams when all they wanted to do was just that.
For me, we’re wrapping up these players, across all codes, in too much cotton wool and preventing them from doing what they love most: playing games.
People speak of player burnout but really playing a match is much more enjoyable than going training - especially at underage grades, where the window to get game time is so small.
Preventing a player from playing underage with their county because they are that good they could be used for the seniors is as useful as the letter 'g' in lasagna.
All you are doing is punishing these players for excelling at their age grade by preventing them from the opportunity to play both championships. Sports science and the advice on how to recover properly has never been so good and so accessible, so this motion is common sense shining through. It will no doubt be welcomed by all involved, but especially by the players. Let them play.
Back to the on-field action and the big guns are starting to return to the pitch.
Many players are making their way back from injury. Indeed, the poor pitches are the only ones not going upwards on the trend at the minute and that’s down to the weather.
So it's off to Cork for Tipp versus Limerick this weekend and here’s their chance to prove to everyone once again that Páirc Uí Chaoimh is an ideal place to have a Munster final or All-Ireland quarters. The stadium is not the issue - it’s top class regardless of what it’s costing, as is the pitch.
What’s a deterrent is the getting in and out of this great stadium. The walk is long unless you’re parking at the back of the ground and for many fans this walk is a major turn-off in going to games down by the Lee.
How do you solve this? Shuttle buses from designated car parks perhaps. We’re not asking for everyone to be parking cars beside the pitch but just to make it a bit easier for many to get into stadium and witness just how class it is for themselves because once they do they’ll go back again and again.
I think we will see as close to championship teams as possible for both Tipp and Limerick and the winner of this will have sewn up one of the semi-final spots. For Tipp, I think that's so appealing, with them not starting their championship campaign until a week after everyone else on 28 April.
Limerick come into this on the back of demolishing Dublin, who really need to have a good hard look at where they are at or what they are hoping to do this year because right now they will be doing well to survive in Liam MacCarthy let alone make progress on last year.
Maybe it will all come together at the right time but it’s hard to see that right now.
"Clare felt the backlash of the Wexford lads the last day."
With Limerick, they just did what they do best in Croke Park and as I was commentating on radio on this game I looked down below to the subs bench to see the following not even togged out: Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon, Sean Finn, Peter Casey and Aaron Gillane - that’s scary for a team who clocked up 3-30 without these guys who have a forest of All-Stars and All-Irelands between them.
They’re just reminding us, 'we’re still the benchmark and when we get to Croke Park we always perform'.
So Saturday night in Cork is a great opportunity for Tipp to send out a message of their own. It’s not the be-all and end-all of the year, far from it, but it's still a chance for Tipp and some of their players to prove to themselves and Liam Cahill that they can mix it with the best.
I think it will be a right game and while the winner won’t be getting any trophy it will be a nice marker for this time of year.
Elsewhere in 1B, Dublin head to Salthill, where they can only improve on their display the last day out, while the Westmeath v Antrim game will be a battle of two evenly matched teams to see who avoids coming last in 1B. Harsh, but that’s the reality of it.
In 1A, I’m looking forward to heading to Ennis on Sunday to see Clare in action against Kilkenny. The winner here will all but seal top spot and maybe give an opportunity for the winning manager to try out things in the final round on St Patrick's Day weekend before a semi-final the following week.
Clare felt the backlash of the Wexford lads the last day and fair play to Keith Rossiter’s men for this performance without Lee Chin for large parts.
Kilkenny nearly have all their big players back and Adrian Mullen (above) is shooting the lights out on a weekly basis. The question with Kilkenny is when and where will TJ return?
I feel Brian Lohan will also go really strong here and we’ll see the like of Mark Rodgers starting this game. I think Clare will get the victory.
Offaly backed up their draw against Wexford with a great first-half performance against Kilkenny the last day and there was a feeling of the 90s about it for many, but then they got blitzed and outscored by 10 points to one in the opening nine minutes of the second half.
They are the learnings they will take playing teams at the top level. They welcome Cork to Tullamore on Sunday and if they can bring this intensity from the first half against Kilkenny and sustain it throughout they will give the Rebels lots to think about.
Waterford and Wexford is a real six-pointer as the loser will most likely find themselves in 1B next year. Waterford looked at their strongest in the final quarter against Cork and if they can continue to get the likes of Jamie Barron and Mikey Kiely more game time, get the quality of Dessie Hutchinson and Tadgh De Burca back on the field, then they can really start to think about getting results this year.
But it further proves that a large group of the chasing pack just do not have the strength in depth to be competitive at the top level. 'Well obviously', you say. 'What team can survive when missing that many top players?' See above from the Limerick game and you’ll understand what I mean and why they are still out there as the best.
So enjoy this Mother’s Day. Thanks Mammies, we’d be lost without ye and our day will come too Dads but for some reason we’ll probably still end up buying flowers and chocolates then too.
Enjoy the games also but as my own mother said when it came to dinner time, 'if you don’t like it you can turn your arse to it'!
Watch Limerick v Tipperary in the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday from 7.20pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
