Liam Sheedy: It was when, not if, for Cork. Now it's back to if

Every hurling manager will see the league slightly differently. I tried to put myself in their shoes.

Cork manager Ben O'Connor, right, shakes hands with Limerick manager John Kiely after the MHL meeting. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

I’m fairly certain most hurling managers enjoy our league. It is, after all, the only other national trophy up for grabs. The ball won’t be flying this weekend. Half the lads will be togged in skins and some are still hibernating. But still the smell of promise can be intoxicating. And you feed off that buzz of regular matches without the absolute bearpit tension of championship.

It’s a vital test of all the systems and preparation you’ve put in place. Of matchday plans you’ll tweak as the year unfolds. It’s the place where you can find out, to some extent, if that new fella has the stuff you’re nearly certain he has. It’s when you can lay down the odd marker, but also test some plan you might have hatched for later on. Maybe only for half an hour, in case too many catch on to it.