After a spring of talking about the league, which is a bottle of smoke, and last year which is ancient history, we now have some hard evidence and a great weekend of hurling ahead. We'll start with tomorrow.
Kilkenny shipped their worst Leinster beating in years in Salthill last week. The Cats had vowed there would be no repeat of their league defeat to Galway, but there was. They play Wexford in Nolan Park.
Wexford are missing a couple of older reliables this season and they made work of beating Kildare. When it comes to Kilkenny though, it's often a different story with the Yellow Bellies. They've won this clash in three of the last five years. Of the two they lost, one was by a point and the other after extra-time.
So, are Kilkenny in decline? What does that mean for the standard of the rest of Ireland hurling? They say, nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn an luch ag rince. Questions hang over the stripy ones, but they have home advantage and enough defiance to get through.
The Leinster programme is filled out with another pair of local derbies. Kildare had only really two bad days in the league this year. One of those was against Dublin, who played a hugely entertaining game against Offaly last Saturday, but they were notably creaky in defence.
Kildare's curve has been impressive. They'll make Dublin work in Parnell Park, but Joe McDonagh Cup winners traditionally find the first year in Leinster tough, as the gulf is huge. It's the Dubs here.
Galway are hosting guests for the second weekend in their own Salthill. Offaly cross the Bannaher Bridge on Sunday.
Both teams showed promise last week. Galway's young forwards could become the breakout stars this summer. Charlie Mitchell's heroics for Offaly guarantee his place in the firmament.
The Tribesmen to take their second win of the campaign.
In Munster, the Championship is blossoming with as much beauty as ever. Someone had to lose in Thurles, and with that, extra heat would follow this week, so Tipp, go to Walsh Park with a question mark hanging over them.
It's a game that demands attention.
The loser goes nought for two in the space of a week, with away games for both against Limerick to come. There might be no coming back from defeat here.
After an ordinary league campaign, Tipp expected more of themselves, but they hit the ground huffing and puffing. Waterford had a hungry look about in Ennis, but still the Premier are expected to answer this one.
Finally, on the big stage by the Lee, Limerick come to town for another chapter in their saga with Cork, and already a big story before a ball is pucked. Aaron Gillane, one of the most potent weapons in hurling, is gone, ruled out overnight with a calf injury.
Cork know Limerick will still ask questions that Tipperary didn't. They may need goals in this one.
Gillane's loss tilts the balance, but on form Hurling Nation leans towards Limerick with a draw now hovering.
Sin é, go dti an tseachtain seo chugainn, get out there and enjoy some hurling.
Dónal Óg Cusack was speaking on Morning Ireland.
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