No county can afford to say winning the League is worthless

I DON’T believe for one moment that the National League means nothing. It’s a very, very important competition. When a manager or player says it isn’t, it’s usually because they are not good enough. Or it’s a ploy to take pressure off.

It’s a load of rubbish and it has been going around since my time.

Why not be honest about it? As Brian Cody always said, it’s the second most important competition and the most important when you’re playing it.

Kilkenny have always treated it that way and have won it over and over.

They have been a model of consistency and shown a level of professionalism and the will-to-win that other counties would do well to emulate.

With the League and All-Ireland champions out of the equation, it’s up to Cork, Dublin, Waterford and Tipperary to put their best foot forward at Nowlan Park today rather than making excuses.

Waterford’s last League win in 2007 was only their second ever.

When the likes of Dan Shanahan or Tony Browne talk about their careers, winning Munster was like an All-Ireland to them. And that League medal would have meant a lot as well.

For Waterford to do it from Division 1B would be some achievement.

It’s 1998 since Cork last won it, largely because Kilkenny were around. They were the power at the time, the team to beat. They have been an awesome power for the last 10, 12 years and more as Cork went through various transitions.

In my own time, the League was broken up into two parts, before and after Christmas: Nobody wanted to win it before Christmas; everyone wanted to win it after.

Some years, though, it was just too late for that. There was never really a huge emphasis put on winning the League, but that was when Cork were winning All-Irelands regularly enough.

For the current team it has to be to the forefront of their ambitions – they need to be getting their hands on cups.

After a first Munster title last year, they were obliterated by Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final. That showed an immaturity in handling success because they wouldn’t have come up the ranks winning at minor or under-21.

If they win a National League title, all they’ll be missing will be an All-Ireland, and they are going gung-ho for it judging by the team Jimmy Barry Murphy has picked.

It shows real intent. Steven McDonnell is back after missing out due to work commitments and Mark Ellis also returns. Cork are effectively at full strength so can have no excuses.

The supporters I’ve talked to though are afraid of a backlash from Dublin after the beating they took in Croke Park.

The Dubs will be delighted to get another crack at the same opposition. It’s revenge time. They mightn’t say it but that’s what they’ll be thinking.

It’s a huge bonus for Dublin to play in Nowlan Park, a tight pitch in keeping with their Parnell Park stronghold. They have memories of winning there, too, whether against Kilkenny this spring or at underage level.

It’s going to be a completely different affair to the Croke Park game which was over after 10 minutes − you could see that from the body language of the Dublin players. Everything Cork touched was immaculate and 34 points is a huge total. I’d be worried only that they didn’t rattle the net, especially with that sort of dominance.

If Cork don’t get goals on Sunday, they’re going to find it hard to get out of Nowlan Park with a win.

I’m sceptical enough about their chances: a Dublin victory wouldn’t be a major shock.

We all wish Tipperary’s Noel McGrath a full and speedy recovery after surgery for testicular cancer. I’ve no doubt lads will be rallying around and saying ‘Let’s do this for Noel.’

Séamus Callanan (below) winning his appeal against suspension is very significant. He has been flying and has really matured.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on him but in my view he is best forward in the country at the moment. He’s a playmaker, loves running at players, and the free-taker as well. It’s a huge plus for Tipperary to have him back.

NOBODY really fancied Waterford to come out of Division 1B but they’ve shown over the last month or so that they will be a force to be reckoned come the summer. They’re certainly setting up defensively, pulling half-forwards to midfield and midfield to the half-back line and you can understand where they are coming from.

A bit like Donegal when Jim McGuinness took over, they are a youngish team fed up with beatings who want to set up with a mean defence and create huge space for their forwards to play in. You might get away with it on smaller, tighter pitches – especially at this time of year when the ground isn’t as hard and the ball doesn’t travel as fast – but I’m not sure it will pay off in Limerick, Thurles or Croke Park come the summer. Tipperary have the strongest panel in Ireland at the moment and they will find a way to get goals. That should be enough this afternoon.