Cork and Limerick poised to deliver Championship fare in January

The opening round of the league has come and gone, but did we learn anything we didn't already know?

Dublin looked very impressive. Cork seem to be moving well but that may be down as much to Wexford not moving at all right now due to the lack of bodies available and recent retirements.

Manager Keith Rossiter has his work cut out to get 26 guys to tog out at the moment and relegation looms already even at this early stage.

Kilkenny did what Kilkenny do best, grinding out a result away to the All-Ireland champions with an outstanding performance from Mossy Keoghan that included an absolute worldie of a point off the stick in brutal conditions to help seal the victory for the Cats.

Perhaps the biggest learning was in Salthill. For Galway it’s that there is work to do and patience could be the main thing here for Tribes followers. Tipperary’s performance demonstrated there are good young hurlers in the county and they passed the first test with flying colours.

Darragh McCarthy caught my eye, though people within the county would be well aware of the deadball specialist.

His U-20 and club form offered him a chance to show off his potential at senior level and his tussle with Fintan Burke, particularly in the second half, will be worth a month’s training to him.

The Toomevara man was up against one of the best defenders, both in terms of hurling and in physicality, and it the long run it will benefit him greatly. Watch this space.

The standout tie this weekend is the meeting on Leeside between Cork and Limerick.

I’m expecting a huge home crowd at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and it will resemble the closest thing you will get to a championship game in January in terms of atmosphere and intensity.

Limerick players are jostling for positions, while