Liam Sheedy: No substitute for landing a cup in the middle of the dressing room

You only have to clock the massive spend on county teams to realise any drop in gate receipts will hit the balance sheet hard. No manager will want to be responsible for it.

RETURN OF THE LEAGUE: Cork's Ciaran Joyce - seen here under pressure from David Reidy, David Fitzgerald and Cathal Malone - could be detailed to mind Banner ball winner Paeter ggan, on Sunday. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Inter-county hurling is back and hurling people are ready for it. A magical All-Ireland final is well in the distance, but its brilliance still illuminates our game and sharpens appetites for this year’s feast. The main course later on, but plenty to taste before that.

This should be a more honest league. I expect better fare this weekend and next than we have witnessed in the early rounds recently.