The halfway line has yet to be braced in the National Hurling League but there is a distinct Munster hue to the top positions in Division 1A and 1B.
Sitting in fifth and sixth positions in the former, Kilkenny and Galway will rightly highlight they have played one game less than Cork, Tipperary and Waterford above them.
Nevertheless, one Leinster county could virtually be gone from Division 1A after this weekend. Lose to Galway in Birr on Sunday and Offaly will not be able to catch a minimum of three but possibly as much as five teams.
A win for Waterford in Kilkenny that same afternoon would all but secure Peter Queally’s side their Division 1A status having come up last year. A point may even be enough – it was sufficient…