All-Ireland entering the business end

1. Dublin

Has to be. Conquerors of Kilkenny, the reigning All-Ireland and Allianz HL champions, conquerors on Sunday last of Galway then reigning Leinster champions, Dublin are the only side guaranteed a place in the final four. They’ll have to be wary though. Sunday represented their first Leinster title in over 50 years but they wouldn’t want to let that go to their heads. Even in the days of pure knockout, provincial championships were always a stepping-stone to bigger things. Waterford several times in the last decade, Limerick likewise over several decades and even Galway last year failed to drive on after breakthrough wins such as Dublin’s a few days ago.

Advice to Dublin? Be greedy.