THIS has felt like an endless winter, but summer is here, no matter what the calendar says.
Farmers have a reputation for finding the cloud inside any silver lining, but it's been a really grim time, between the weather, fuel prices and protests.
And with all that concerning us, the hurling championship arrives to provide some light relief.
There will of course be nothing light about the fare this weekend, and the thunder will roll in Thurles come Sunday afternoon.
The round-robin format has revitalised the provincial hurling championships, even for someone like me whose experience and enjoyment of summer hurling has been steeped in knock-out games.
And I truly believe that the Tipperary-Cork clash will have a knock-out edge to it.
It couldn't be any other way, because there is so much riding on this match for both teams.
Ben O'Connor has been a straight shooter and he wants a team in his image: hurling with an edge.
The Cork supporters are always expectant and they know how close Pat Ryan brought them to the top of the mountain.
Despite the disastrous second half in last year's final, this remains a very strong panel, and it's a huge advantage to a manager to come in and take over a side that is so strong.
If I were wrapped in the blood and bandages on my way to Thurles tomorrow, though, I would be concerned at the manner of their defeat in the league final.
Cork were bullied at times by Limerick. I expected John Kiely's side to come out on top, but I also expected Cork to put up more of a fight than they did.
Their failure to stand up to it was a surprise to me.
That's another reason why this is a huge test for them. Every big game is now a gut-check for the Rebels. Every time they take the field against another contender, they have to show that they have learned the lessons from that collapse against Tipp last July.
Every contest is a test they have to pass. They can technically lose in Semple Stadium and still win silverware this season, but it's the damage done to confidence and self-belief by another defeat to Liam Cahill's team that could have the lasting impact.
It's not as if the hosts have no questions to answer, mind you. Call me old-fashioned - and you wouldn't be the first - but I believe that when you are the All-Ireland champions, you should play like that every time you go out.
Tipp didn't do that in the league, by design I suspect, but it means that we don't really know where they are at now.
The consensus is they were keeping their fire for the championship. Well, it's time to show it.
And we know they can. Eoghan Connolly, Ronan Maher, Jake Morris, Darragh McCarthy and Jason Forde are all serious players, and Cahill showed in using a sweeper in the final that he can throw a surprise at the opposition.
He could be minded to do the same in this match, but so little is known about Tipperary that even their fans don't quite know what to expect.
That would be a concern for me, because this is a formidable Cork side, through every line of the team. The Downeys, Ciarán Joyce and Mark Coleman provide muscle at the back, Darragh Fitzgibbon is a real leader around the middle, and Brian Hayes is becoming a star in attack.
Seamus Harnedy, a real warrior and one of my favourite hurlers today, is guaranteed to bring the battle to Tipperary, too, and it’s that balance in the team that convinces me they’ll edge this one.
It’s going to be a battle, and I think that’s what Ben O’Connor will relish.
Clare, like Tipp, went through the spring without anyone getting a clear handle on where they are at. But whereas Tipp didn’t show their hand, Clare didn’t have to as they tore through Division 1B just as everyone expected them to.
Dublin didn’t put up much of a fight in the league final either, so we’re left to wonder how Brian Lohan is going to knit together a new team.
And that’s what he seems to be doing, with a handful of impressive new players like Diarmuid Stritch and Senan Dunford making a big impression during the league.
Old stager John Conlan is back fit after a serious hand injury, but it’s in the attack that the veterans will make a difference. It was great to see Shane O’Donnell start against Dublin in the league final, and Tony Kelly won’t be too far away either.
Waterford have no hope according to the consensus but their league campaign was complicated by not having the Ballygunner players for the start of the league but more importantly, the training and preparation ahead of it.
Peter Queally has had weeks with them now, but it won’t be enough.
THERE’S good reason for believing Galway can get their championship up and running with a win against Kilkenny in Salthill this evening – but I’m wary, very wary.
There are two reasons for that. One, we’ve seen plenty of false Galway dawns down the years. And two, this is Kilkenny we’re talking about.
They suffered a real humiliation against Galway during the league, and no county takes that kind of punishment as badly as Kilkenny.
Losing by 18 points is just not what the Cats do, and it was to Derek Lyng’s credit that he didn’t make a big deal of a virus wiping out his squad.
But it was definitely a factor, and that’s why the league game is such an unreliable indicator of what’s coming tonight.
TJ Reid’s return shouldn’t be underestimated, either. He was back for their final league game, a draw with Tipperary which was a truer reflection of where Lyng’s team are at.
They ran Tipp close in the All-Ireland semi-final last year, as they did against Clare a year earlier.
Galway have definitely made progress, with Cillian Trayers, Aaron Niland, and Jason Rabbitte just some of the young bucks Micheál Donoghue has promoted.
No wonder Galway fans are excited - but Kilkenny will deflate the maroon bubble.
WHAT I like about Dublin is their power. They have some lovely hurlers but they are also a big, physical team and that’s now vital for any county that wants to even get mapped at this level of game.
Niall Ó Ceallacháin over-achieved last year, with Cian O’Sullivan a real star in attack for them; but the manager addressed inexperience by getting Liam Rushe and Cian Boland back involved.
They should have plenty in reserve to take care of Offaly in O’Connor Park tonight; but this Dublin side have bigger ambitions than that.
They’re entitled to think that a Leinster final place is within their grasp; but they could have grander goals than that given transitions in Galway and Kilkenny.