Dónal Óg Cusack's hurling championship predictions

Fellow citizens of Hurling Nation, a question: does anybody out there sense that championship hurling in spring just feels wrong, out of kilter with the universe?

Still, it is what it is, and we must endure watching great amateur athletes forced into a spin cycle of play-recover-play.

For who? For what?

On Saturday evening we have three championship matches starting in the space of an hour.

In Leinster, Dublin, who suffered jet-lag when they drew with Antrim in Belfast last week, come home to Parnell Park and entertain Westmeath.

The manager of Westmeath, Joe Fortune, knows Dublin hurling very well and should be able to put at least a scare into the home side, but that's all. The Dubs are expected to prevail.

Antrim make the long journey to Wexford, a game that also throws in at 6pm. The point they earned last week will encourage Antrim's self belief. Wexford meanwhile still have some wounded warriors unavailable, but we expect them to get by for now.

And so we come to the big one in Munster, the Saturday night special, Limerick v Clare.

Even though it's April, this one has the feel of a high summer showdown to it. Clare were smacked around a bit in their own back yard last weekend when Tipp visited.

After another red card last week [this time for Gearóid Hegarty], John Kiely will be looking to see if his Limerick team can get the task done without falling over the edge.

The Treaty have named former Hurler of the Year, man of the match in las year's All-Ireland final and current All-Star Hegarty on the bench.

This could be electric, and that's only in the stands, but expect Limerick to do the business.

Sunday delivers us two big games.

Henry Shefflin brings his Galway side to Nowlan Park where Brian Cody's iron grip is now just a