With a 100% record in Division 2 so far this year, and top-flight hurling secured for the first time since 2007, Down hurling manager Ronan Sheehan could be forgiven for tunnel vision.
A league final awaits, and the start of the Joe MacDonagh Cup is only a few weeks away; enough to occupy most schedules.
But Sheehan has always seen the bigger picture when it comes to hurling and has been at the coalface trying to provide fuel to keep the game relevant in counties beneath the top tiers.
After a satisfying week that saw Division 1 hurling regained for the first time in 18 years, and ahead of the imminent appointment of Willie Maher as the GAA's head of hurling, Sheehan has outlined to RTÉ Sport some ways in which he feels the game can grow steadily and sustainably over time.
"These ideas won’t cost the GAA any money and they are practical and reasonable," he says.
"The first is for a hurling week to be set aside each month in every county. That won’t cost the GAA anything, but it would be a massive statement.
"It would be saying very clearly that as an association we acknowledge that hurling needs time and space in the calendar and we will provide that.
"That even if you come from a county where there is not a significant number of clubs, we will still provide spaces for games in those counties without interference.
"You can have two dual weeks, one hurling week and one football week.
"That would be my proposal. It would protect football and protect the dual player which is now an endangered species even at club level.
"To introduce a hurling week which would be spearheaded and protected by the association - what a statement that would be by Jarlath (Burns) and for Willie (Maher) as he prepares to take charge.
"It would be something fundamental and meaningful; it would cost nothing but make a massive difference in areas where there is a battle for survival or growth."
Newry Shamrocks man Sheehan, who has previously served as his county’s Under 14, Celtic Challenge and Under-20 manager, has also identified underage structures as being key to hurling’s sustainability.
"I would look at underage hurling within the compass of teams in the MacDonagh and Christy Ring Cup.
"Counties like Laois, Westmeath, Carlow, Kerry, Meath, Down, Derry and Donegal - teams in those competitions.
"And I would look at those competition structures with regard to U20 teams.
"At the moment Down play Antrim and Derry to see who enters tier 2 at U20 level. We lost to Antrim this year, which invariably does happen and so we end up in the All Ireland 'B’ competition.
"That is a competition that Down has won three out of the last four years and we are probably favourites to win it again.
"But that is simply not developing our young players. Kerry are now in Leinster and Meath and Westmeath are there too at that level.
"I would suggest that we either extend the Leinster championship to include Down or Derry or we hive off those seven or eight MacDonagh and Ring teams for a special U20 grade.
"We have two groups of four, have a final, make a fuss, and let the winners play the losers of Leinster or Munster going forward in the All-Ireland series.
"You are giving the opportunity for young players in these counties to get quality experience at a similar level and get used to the standard that is needed."
In chatting about how different counties can make meaningful progress, Sheehan is mindful that one size will not fit all, and warns that new clubs are not always the answer.
"Hurling in each county has its own challenges and unintended consequences," he states.
"There will be a push for new hurling clubs going forward but will they eat into nearby clubs who are already providing hurling for those who don’t have it in their own clubs?
"New hurling clubs will see players joining at U8 but will they still be playing past 16? That’s the test.
"The danger with start-up clubs is that we start to cannibalise underage bases for existing clubs.
"In our own case in Newry Shamrocks we have five or six football clubs sending players to us and if hurling starts in one or two of those areas, will it be maintained long term?
"And if it’s not, will it just diminish numbers in the existing clubs where they play? These are the challenges. And what you need in Down will be different to what you need in Donegal.
"Overall, I feel we cannot continue to simply support by throwing money at subsistence hurling.
"Why would you send money into counties to start hurling when those counties won’t even give one week up for hurling.
"I think going forward if you want funding for underage development you need to participate with a hurling week and not sabotage it."
Sheehan concludes by stating that success can be gauged in various ways.
Increased numbers, increased quality, higher scores, more volunteers.
"I would focus now on structures and one defined hurling week each month," he says.
"If counties are not willing to back that definite space in the calendar for hurling, it says a lot about their long-term commitment, in my book."
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