Former Galway hurler David Forde has joined new manager Shane O’Neill’s backroom team — as a selector.

Last Sunday’s All-Ireland final was the epitome of edge-of-the-seat viewing. The fact that the build-up was more subdued than normal is likely to have contributed to the surprise element of such heightened tension on the day.

Selector. Coach. Friend. Many words can be used to describe Seoirse Bulfin’s relationship with Davy Fitzgerald since they first met in 2003. And after helping steer Wexford to tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final, he hopes there is another chapter to write

By the time Brendan Maher left the Gaelic Grounds last Sunday, he had moved on. After that weighty loss to Limerick, Liam Sheedy gave him and the other Tipperary players a couple of evenings off to decompress before returning to training but he was already thinking of an All-Ireland quarter-final.

So John Horan will hardly countenance splitting Dublin, but he is happy to divide Cork.

Five lessons from the weekend.

Limerick manager John Kiely wasn’t wearing any comparisons to Kilkenny in their pomp yesterday, saying “We are Limerick, we are ourselves”.

It’s 21 years ago now, but Clare’s league semi-final performance against Cork in 1998 has long been cast into hurling folklore, as much for what we didn’t do, or were supposed to have done beforehand, than anything to do with the final score.

Two former Tipperary forwards are concerned Liam Sheedy’s team could suffer against Limerick in the Munster Final as a result of beating them last Sunday week.

Former Roscommon goalkeeper Shane Curran is adamant Dublin having two Super 8 games in Croke Park is “not right or fair” but he doesn’t expect his county to contest it.

Difficult to distinguish the winners from the losers here. Because the scoreboard told only half the story.

There’s so much to be taken from those famous lyrics to the adopted Munster anthem ‘Stand Up and Fight’.

Antrim were full value for their first Qualifier victory in four seasons over disappointing Louth in the Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda on Saturday night.

When Clare and Limerick face off in the Gaelic Grounds tomorrow it’s another instalment in a long rivalry.

There was a famous photograph taken in 2000 at a Leinster U21 final, shortly after Offaly had dethroned Cork to reach the All-Ireland senior final, where they were due to square up to Kilkenny again.

Two games, two wins. For 4-58, Against 1-42. Average winning margin 12.5 points.

Summer hurling’s opening weekend threw up killer lines.

Eighteen years have elapsed since a 15-man Cork last lost a Championship game to Limerick over 70 minutes. But defeat on Sunday at the Gaelic Grounds puts John Meyler's squad behind the eight-ball. Here are five key changes Cork must get right to be back in business.

The days of ‘one strike and you’re out’ have long been confined to hurling history and yet the stakes as Cork and Tipperary meet in Sunday’s Munster Championship opener are such that the losing side in Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be one small slip away from an extended summer break.

The partnership has been described as the 'first of its kind in Ireland'.

Following their victory over Clare in the league last Saturday week, people queried Cork’s reliance on Patrick Horgan for scores.

An €8m, 12,000-capacity stadium is to be built close to Dundalk IT.

A crowd of 3,224 is not what you expect for a first-round Munster SHL fixture on a cold and, at times, wet evening in mid-December. Then again, this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pre-season blowout.

Walsh Park could host Waterford’s two home fixtures in the 2019 Munster senior hurling championship.

There was high drama in the Gaelic Grounds as wing back Denis Moloney popped up in additional time to send over Doon’s first score in 12 minutes to secure their first Limerick SHC final appearance in 18 years.

Limerick are providing an alternative venue for fans who are unable to attend the All-Ireland Hurling final.

In this era of marginal gains, the GAA has made its own with the implementation of HawkEye. There can be little doubt it had a valuable impact to the feast of hurling produced last weekend.

Former Waterford manager Derek McGrath has called on more sophisticated score detection technology to be installed at all county venues to ensure fairness.

Clare and Cork’s return to Semple Stadium for a second Munster final in a row is expected to be confirmed later today.

Like he did last year, Clare co-manager Gerry O’Connor delivered a stirring interview to RTÉ prior to facing Tipperary on Sunday.

Parsons ruptured three of the four ligaments in his left knee, tore the fourth and dislocated the knee, as well as sustaining tears to his calf and hamstring.

Shell-shocked would be an apt description to describe Tipperary’s post-match behaviour on Sunday. Michael Ryan delivered a dressing room speech only to realise afterwards that John McGrath was still on the field, for which the manager apologised.

Mayo will travel to the Gaelic Grounds to take on Limerick.

Derek McGrath is discussing the sanctity of the dressing room. It couldn’t be more important now as seemingly everyone but John Mullane has them down to be also-rans in Munster this year.

Tipperary manager Michael Ryan admits his side “have not found our rhythm” but is confident of turning things around.

Ryan has explained the reasons for his silence on Sunday.

Limerick turning Tipperary over is hardly something the Munster championship or the Gaelic Grounds hasn’t seen before yet there was something novel and different about this.

Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: After giving a post-match TV interview, Limerick captain Declan Hannon was jumped on by a group of celebrating supporters.

New Munster hurling format carries fears with cheers

It will be 2020 before the Waterford hurlers play a Munster championship home fixture at Walsh Park.

Limerick secretary Mike O’Riordan doesn’t envisage the county will be in competition with Cork in the battle for GAA stadium naming rights.

Limerick 3-19 Kerry 1-15: For the second time in three years, Limerick and Clare will contest the final of the Munster Hurling League.

Limerick GAA secretary Mike O’Riordan is not in favour of the new Super 8 format, calling for the introduction of a two-tier football championship.

The first shots of the 2018 GAA season will be fired in 2017 in Munster.