Limerick and Cork will do battle in Sunday's Allianz Hurling League final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, with both having a point to prove.
The narrative is that the Rebels, after losing the All-Ireland final last year in such difficult circumstances, will want to begin the atonement process as soon as possible.
Cork are looking to defend their league title before going on to do the same in the Munster Championship. From the outside, they look to be in ruder health than their provincial neighbours.
Limerick come into 2026 having lost to Dublin in championship last summer.
It was a great shock against a Metropolitans outfit that had failed to impress on their journey through Leinster, losing out to Kilkenny and Galway, and shipping big goal totals against the Cats and Wexford.
And, after surprising the Treaty men in that quarter-final, the Dubs would go on to ship seven goals against Cork in the last four in the biggest All-Ireland semi-final defeat for any county in 16 years.
Had Limerick allowed themselves to look ahead before that clash with Dublin? It depends who you ask.
Declan Hannon played his final minutes for his county in that defeat at Croke Park. It brought down the curtain on a career which saw the Adare man captain Limerick to five All-Ireland titles, and seven Munsters.
He also picked up two National League medals in that time, but he says the spring tournament wouldn't have been the big target for either of Sunday's finalists before the start of the year.
"It's probably not the number one priority," he told RTÉ Sport ahead of the game.
"Currently it is, it's the last game of the league, there's a trophy on the line.
"Both teams will be going hammer and tongs trying to bring the trophy home. I'm very much looking forward to it, the two form teams at the minute, it should be a belting game again."
After such a dominant period for Limerick, they've returned back to the pack somewhat, with no trophy to celebrate last season.
Their last league triumph came three years ago, which was followed by claiming a fourth Liam MacCarthy on the spin.
They managed a Munster title in 2024, but lost their crown to Cork on penalties last summer.
Despite their dip in form from what was a historic high for the county, Hannon says that he likes the look of the squad at the moment.
"I suppose Matthew Fitzgerald, it's his first year there and he's been very impressive in the games he's played so far," he said when asked which new players stood out.
"You have the lads like Cathal (O'Neill), Adam (English), Aidan (O'Connor), Shane O'Brien, the lads that have been there for a couple of years and they seem to have gone to another level, which is fantastic.
"Aidan has been the standout in the league, himself and Kyle (Hayes). They've been fantastic, they've just brought their game to a new level.
"They're already at such a high level, to have pushed on now again is brilliant to see. They've brought new energy, a new kind of aggression and a new dynamic to the game for Limerick. They've been brilliant and we're lucky to have them.
"Then you have the mix of the older brigade who are still doing their thing."
When they were in their pomp, a league title might not have meant so much for Limerick.
But taking all of their recent disappointments together - the loss to Dublin, the Munster final penalty heartbreak, the trophyless 2025 - Hannon reckons they will be determined to pick up a first national trophy in nearly three years on Sunday afternoon.
"The appetite is always there but I suppose the couple of years of disappointments definitely helps," he adds.
"It makes you more angry or just sharpens the tools a small bit then for going into the next year.
"They've been really, really solid in the league. They lost the first round to Waterford but since then they've been going really well and showing real signs of progress.
"That's what they're looking for, just trying to get better and better every match they play and they're doing that at the minute.
"The league final now will be the biggest test of that."
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