Shadow boxing in the spring, knockouts in the summer

The real winners of the league may not be the ones who get the medals.

The clash between Tipperary and Waterford on Saturday night in Thurles gave us a little teaser of what’s coming down the tracks in the championship: big hits, dunts on and off the ball, that handshake and gesture from the managers Liam Cahill and Davy Fitzgerald afterwards.

I’m no lip reader but I’m sure it was along the lines of 'We’ll see ye again', and a 'Oh don’t worry, we’ll be waiting', in response. It got us excited for potentially more of the same on Sunday when Clare faced Galway in Ennis and Kilkenny took on the Dubs in Nowlan Park.

Alas, it was back to standard league games - you score, we score, you take a puckout completely on your own, we’ll get one the next time.

I did say already this year we need to be patient with teams and these games as we all know what they are getting ready to put on a show for us from April onwards. However I think the public now, after four rounds of this fare, have grown weary of these shadow boxing matches.

If it’s a choice between watching whatever live television has to offer next weekend and paying €18, getting into the car and driving to the next league game, well I’m pretty sure it will be the groove in the couch which will win that battle.

I don't blame players or managers here; their job is to be ready for championship. That's totally understandable and unless we can make this league more of an incentive for them to push harder and not train as intensely midweek, we will be having the same conversation next year.

My suggestion to liven up the spring is twofold.

Firstly, have less break weeks during the league and take away the league semi-finals, making it a straight final between the winners of 1A and 1A.