No matter how long you've deprived it of oxygen, hurling is a hardy flower, it always blooms. If we leave aside the GAAGO troubles, it's been a great week.
The Leinster Championship blossomed, Carlow are rising, Cork found long-lost Corkness, Offaly's charismatic Under- 20 side gave the Faithful their first win over Kilkenny at any grade since 2007 and over 8,000 people paid in to see it.
Leinster has taken a strange and unpredictable turn. With each team having played three games, not even the most dyed-in-the-wool Dub would have seen themselves topping the table.
This week, the theme in Leinster is the bigger counties travelling to uncomfortable places.
Kilkenny travel to Parnell Park. The Cats are weakened by injuries, but we think their wounded pride will see them through.
Galway go to Corrigan Park. Antrim are a significantly better team when they play under the shoulder of the Belfast hills. The Tribesmen should escape with the points, but if they're in trouble down the home straight, would you back them?
Lastly, on Sunday, Carlow deserve a packed house for Wexford's visit to Dr Cullen Park. It's been a tough journey for a county with such a small hurling base, making last week's heroics highly commendable.
However, Lee Chin is already in All-Star territory with his performances for Wexford this summer. Scallions v Strawberries? We let the head rule the heart again, Strawberries to win.
To Munster, where the battle for a top-three place has created such smoke and such noise that it's easier just to experience it than to try and understand it.
Limerick have taken a blow, but they've got a week of rest.
Waterford were written off a few weeks ago, but they have travelled to Clare with three points already in the bag from two games. On paper, Clare looks stronger, but on paper David Fitzgerald is always easier to write off. On grass, he'll have a plan for Ennis and for Brian Lohan. We're sticking our neck out for a draw.
At four o'clock on Sunday, the old order get their time in the sun.
Last week, Cork found a level that they weren't sure they had. Getting back to that peak after a week of recovery is a big ask. In their last two outings, the Rebels have remarkably conceded the identical score of 3-26 on both occasions.
Similar numbers here would be asking for trouble. A loss to Tipperary on Sunday makes Cork's gallantry against Limerick just a footnote. That should be just enough motivation.
And so to the Joe McDonagh Cup. The game of the weekend is in Tullamore, where Kerry visit Offaly. Two very hard-working teams who have plenty of Joe McDonagh history.
Both counties have lost finals. Offaly last year, while Kerry have lost three times. Both need a win, but we think Offaly will surf the wave all the way to next Wednesday's Leinster Under-20 final.
Sin é, get out and enjoy this crazy and crazily condensed season.
Dónal Óg Cusack was speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.
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Watch the Munster Hurling Championship double bill, Clare v Waterford and Tipperary v Cork, on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
