Hurling Division 1 preview: The league is what you make it

The world is what you make it - or so Paul Brady sings.

And also now, it seems, is the Allianz Hurling League.

The spring competition was traditionally a time to find a few players and build momentum ahead of the more serious business of championship. And who wouldn't want a bit of silver to take a few selfies with?

These motivations still have some appeal but new realities must also be considered.

Starting from today, the 12 Division 1 teams will play five games over the next seven weekends. There are also semi-finals and those reaching the decider on 1/2 April will be out for seven of nine, with a three-week break to the start of the provincial championships.

The round-robin means a further four (Munster) or five (Leinster) games in five weeks so it’s a hectic schedule, even before the provincial finals and All-Ireland qualifiers.

Limerick had an underwhelming league last year, needing to avoid defeat against Offaly in the final round to avoid a relegation play-off.

The Green Machine was straining but apparently only because they had adopted a different approach to the competition – taking a longer break and doing the 'pre-season’ fitness training during the league rather than before. "People were writing us off but we knew that when the real stuff started we would be ready," Gearoid Hegarty revealed later in the year. "We were training hard and I think we timed our run well."

The proof that they did was delivered with a third Liam MacCarthy Cup, and fourth in five years, come July.

Limerick’s strategy might not suit everyone. They already had a very settled side and trophies galore. But when contrasted with the fate of the teams who contested the 2022 league final - Waterford and Cork – it could prove a popular one this year.

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