Maidin mhaith gach duine agus fáilte ar ais chuig Hurling Nation. Much excitement ahead and so many questions to be answered.
Are Clare overcooked? Are Cork overestimated? Are Limerick back? Are Offaly old enough? When will Kilkenny next produce a generational talent? Why do Galway so often look a better bet before the championship starts? Is Dublin hurling always on year one of a three-year plan?
Could China and Trump learn from the Munster Council? A stand ticket to the hurling that cost €25 in 2023, costs €35 in 2025. That's a 40% tariff quietly slipped under the door. (Stand tickets are still €25 in Leinster).
Has humanity still not come up with a way of decompressing the hurling season? Do five serious championship games have to be crammed into a single weekend? There's a lot of suffering gets inflicted on Hurling Nation, but nach bhfuil leigheas air caithfear cur suas leis, so enough grumbling for now.
Clare and Cork have a repeat of last year's All-Ireland final. In the league, Cork put six goals past Clare. There's no doubt that this Sunday the Banner will be a lot less welcoming. Cork have a good mix of pace, height, and confidence. The tackling will be hard and the pace will be furious.
If there's one player Clare would least like to be without, it's Shane O'Donnell. Everything works better when he plays. Everything is harder when he doesn't play. And Cork's defence looks tighter so far this year.
There's been a lot of talk about Cork and hype. That won't bother Cork much. Either way, Clare will worry about Cork's hunger more than the hype. Anything could happen, but we'll back Cork for the win.
Later on Sunday, Tipperary start their championship by jumping right in at the deep end. Liam Cahlll had been working hard to freshen Tipperary up, but the league final was a setback.
Limerick still look healthy for a gang with so much mileage on the clock. The two wise owls on the sideline have been introducing young talents for long apprenticeships.
Tipp haven't beaten the Treaty in Munster since 2019. It's hard to see that changing this weekend.
Before all the Sunday excitement, Leinster has three opening-round games on Saturday. The biggest of these is Kilkenny and Galway. It's always hard to know how full-blooded the early games between these two are. We'll go for Kilkenny, but it's just sparring for now.
More interesting is Offaly's visit to Parnell Park. Whereas Dublin's hurlers seemed to head back to the drawing board every year, Offaly, with tiny resources, are on an upward curve. Dublin's league was average, but to be fair, they were experimenting and might have enough for the rising Faithful.
Finally, in the sunny South-East, there's a kind of homecoming for Davy Fitz as he brings Antrim to visit Wexford. Antrim lose strength the further they travel from Corrigan Park. No Easter surprise expected here.
Sin é folks. Get out and enjoy a game somewhere.
