The easy adage of “Same aul Cork/Same aul Galway” will greet one of the management teams afterwards but this is not the truth

Flexibility is central to Limerick and Clare. Henry Shefflin has modified the views he held as a pundit. Will Brian Cody adjust to take Kikenny forward?

Indignant Cork are now combining process and passion

Tipperary have belatedly realised a defensive structure can provide more room up front

The Cork brains trust of Kingston, O’Sullivan, Furlong, Mulcahy and O’Grady will have tried their best to ignore the outside world, but this can be difficult for a homegrown management team.

Three talking points ahead of Limerick v Waterford

Instead of cowering and lowering expectations, the ambition of this group will see them embrace the excitement and giddiness that is evident in Waterford.

Paraic Mahony wrongly proclaimed that 'nice guys win nothing'. Nice guys can be compassionate, giving and ruthlessly driven

Cian Lynch chatted openly to James Keenan followed by a smiling and questioning Gearóid Hegarty before the camera clipped to the two assassins, Gillane and Flanagan, engaging in light-hearted banter with the tickled umpires

Waterford look extremely fresh, driven by a manager on the way up with the bit between his teeth.