Anthony Daly: People labelled this league a phoney war. I'd disagree

There was bound to be an element of shadow boxing between teams who are set to meet in the championship, but you could see how much sides were ramping it up last weekend. That was evident in Salthill, Parnell Park and especially Corrigan Park.

TIED UP IN KNOTS: Cork's Alan Connolly is tackled by Tipperary players Padraic Maher, left, and Cathal Barrett in their Allianz Hurling League game in Semple Stadium. 

Three weeks out from when Clare and Dublin were due to play their opening matches in the 2013 championship, Davy Fitzgerald and I arranged a challenge game.

Fitzy said that he’d sort the venue for some place in Tipperary, but it was such a clandestine operation that the CIA and KGB would have been proud of the secrecy.