Mattie Kenny’s reputation as a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “no” reached new heights in recent months.

That Tipperary have only one league win from three outings is not a concern for Liam Sheedy.

Dublin defender Eoghan O’Donnell was part of a three-man players group that met new manager Mattie Kenny last Friday night to kick-start preparations for 2019.

Dublin reap rewards and costs of Cuala success.

It’s exactly 20 years ago that Liam Silke’s uncle, Ray, captained Galway to the All-Ireland football title.

Cuala have just kept finding the answers when the hardest questions imaginable have been asked of them, writes Anthony Daly.

CUALA (Dublin) 2-17 NA PIARSAIGH (Limerick) 1-17: Cuala captain Paul Schutte reckons the south Dubliners deserve to be classed among club hurling’s greats after joining an elite group by capturing back-to-back AIB All-Ireland titles.

There were some brilliant races at Cheltenham last week but Na Piarsaigh V Cuala was some stamina-sprint between two thoroughbreds, writes Anthony Daly.

David Treacy scored seven points for Cuala who overwhelmed Liam Mellows and advanced to another All-Ireland final at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.

New Dublin hurling coach Anthony Cunningham has raised the exciting possibility of sharing dual prodigy Con O’Callaghan with the county footballers for “part of a season”.

Cuala (Dublin) 1-23 Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-9: If it wasn’t for Mattie Kenny’s forensic attention to detail, we mightn’t read too much into the curious, 26-point score-lines that his Cuala team has been racking up lately.

Waterford should win but might not. Their main difficulty is their convex tradition against Kilkenny in championship encounters, writes PM O’Sullivan.

It’s three years last month that Greg Kennedy was convinced by Mattie Kenny to join him on his ticket with Cuala as coach and selector.

On Wednesday night I took out a pen and paper and wrote down an alternative Dublin team to the one that is selected for tomorrow in Tullamore.

Mattie Kenny may have thought he was onto a winner when he enjoyed a hole-in-one in Portumna Golf Club on Saturday. “The hole in one was a fluke – today was more crafted,” smiled the Cuala manager.

Imagine for a moment what it feels like to be the Dublin hurling manager watching Cormac Costello sitting on the footballers’ bench. The sight of Ciarán Kilkenny ripping it up on a more regular basis can’t be much more palatable.

Before the 1995 National League final against Kilkenny, my back was in bits. I wanted to play. I convinced management I was fit to play. I thought we would win. I wanted to lift the cup. 

A gulf in class was clear at Croke Park where Dublin cruised through to a Leinster SHC semi-final showdown with holders and All-Ireland champions Kilkenny next month.

Na Piarsaigh duo Kevin Downes and Shane Dowling proved their worth to Limerick with 1-8 between them as the Shannonsiders secured a first Allianz hurling league semi-final place in a decade.

Dublin got their physicality and hurling to the pitch required to see off Galway last weekend, albeit in Parnell Park. Cork, however, did not throw down the gauntlet to Waterford, apart from the last 10 minutes.

Cuala (Dublin) 3-12 Clara (Kilkenny) 0-17: Galway hurling may be in limbo but, across the country in Dublin, one man is at least putting his hand up as a strong contender to lead them into a brighter future.

Laois’s Colm Begley believes Dublin would find life more difficult in the Leinster championship away from Croke Park.

Kilkenny’s last two All-Ireland successes haven’t been replicated in the All Stars honour lists, where the runners-up in both years, Galway in 2012 and Tipperary last year, trumped them. As of now, Kilkenny look set to take the lion’s share of personal honours but Galway have plenty of strong contenders too.

Waterford 2-21 Dublin 1-19: An unstinting work-rate complimented by the occasional passage of sweeping brilliance.

Does the hunt for a cracking championship game in hurling go on?

Eoin Reilly has faced both Waterford and Dublin this year and the Laois goalkeeper believes Ger Cunningham’s forwards will provide a stern and fascinating test for the Déise’s much-vaunted defensive abilities.

Jeff Reinebold features as an analyst on Sky’s NFL coverage. He is fond of a fickle character who inevitably helps the winning team from a vital juncture in the game. He calls him Mr Mo Mentum.

THERE are times when you go into a big game as manager knowing the gun is to your head, when you can almost feel the cold steel pressed against your temple.

Dublin 4-17 Laois 0-19