Emmet Moloney writes for the 'Farmers Journal' and is a former sports columnist with 'The Kerryman'.

With hurling back on the agenda and optimism flowing through squads around the country, Emmet Moloney is looking forward to the months ahead...

A couple of things to take from the first weekend of the National Hurling League. First and foremost, we have found a way to beat Kilkenny – snow and ice meant they couldn’t leave their county to fulfil their fixture against Galway. Why didn’t we think of this sooner?

Secondly, I have a great name for my next horse. Some of you will be familiar with the ones we have previously been involved with, Macra and The Journal. Neither scaled the heights, although the jury is still out on Macra. Not chastened enough, my third horse was unlucky to sever a tendon when poised to fly the Irish flag at Cheltenham (kind of). If I am ever foolish enough to venture again into the equine world, I already have the perfect name: Dan Shanahan’s Beard. It rolls off the tongue and, with a name like that, the horse is sure to do well. Dan is back and this time he means business. Afterall, he is after growing the beard.

Of course Tyrone started this trend last summer when they got on a roll. The razors were dispensed with on the way to Sam and it’s small things like this that wins All-Irelands. Dan will be hoping so anyway.

After week one, it’s far too early to make long-term predictions on the state of the counties but Limerick’s performance raises eyebrows. Seven newcomers and they hurled with attitude. Justin’s influence is bearing fruit and I for one will have a wary eye on this side come the summer. Limerick’s style of hurling in recent years was badly in need of an overhaul. Few can match them for heart and guts, but they fell down on free-flowing forwards and fast hurling. Even a short memory allows us to recall the Waterford side of 2002. After just a season of Justin’s efforts they hurled with a new freedom. If the past is anything to go by, Limerick could be a dangerous side this summer.

Their reward for beating the Banner is a trip to Nowlan Park. Brian Cody’s panel had to spend last Sunday twiddling their thumbs, not getting the chance to dish out a beating to anyone. Limerick’s feet will be back on terra firma come next Sunday, but Justin will want to see something in defeat. That’s when you see the good days coming down the road, when players reveal themselves in defeat as men that won’t take it lying down.

I knew my own county were in trouble when I was reading the Sunday papers: “Watch the Banner”, “Clare could be the dark horse”, etc ... sure enough we lose our first match. Some things never change. What harm! We fought well in the second half and have some stars in reserve. We’ll be hanging around this summer with serious intent. Look it, I’m after falling into the trap myself!

Tipperary are a dangerous side at the best of times. Without Eoin Kelly, Shane McGrath and Seamus Callinan in the starting line-up, they still overpowered the Déise on a heavy pitch. God knows what they could do on Saturday night against Cork. When they mean business, the Premier will be hard to stop. They are Kilkenny’s main challengers and that mantle won’t be swapped with anyone between now and August.

Davy’s team will not be among the eye-catchers this spring. Their thoughts are trained solely on 14 June and a date with Justin. The natives shouldn’t be getting too restless if they are to be found in the lower reaches of the table. The Déise won a league two years ago and that will do them for leagues. Their game against the Cats is the only one they will be truly fired up for. Of course, Davy is in Ennis this weekend to patrol the sidelines against his beloved Clare. Expect lots of compliments to fly between the two managers and Clare to win.

Dublin duly started with an expected win over the team formerly known as Cork. With that over, Anthony Daly can now get back to the proper business of being underdogs. This is where Dublin might prosper. Catching opposition cold in Parnell Park is their best chance and this Sunday Galway head for the capital. Back the Dubs with the handicap – they will rattle the Tribesmen.

The new format of the hurling league is a solid one. Every week we will have heavyweights clashing and TG4 will be spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding where to send the cameras. Apart from Cork, there will be no mismatches. But attendances last weekend must be reviewed. Charging €15 for a game is a bit rich in the current climate. For that money a man can go to the pub, have three or four pints and watch the match in front of the fire. As a result, it is only the Gaelers going to games. These hardliners (and I am one) will go anyway, but the wavering supporter is not encouraged.

The fact that all gate money is sent to Croke Park means the local county board has little interest or scope in driving up the crowd figures. Indeed we have all been to matches with both stands full and a sizeable crowd behind both goals, only to read in the papers the next day that only 7,000 were at the game when our eyes have told us there was at least 12,000. County boards driving down the figures – is that possible? Libel laws prevent me from answering that.

The home county should be left to decide the admission price themselves and to pocket it. With that incentive you could see a fiver being asked at Cusack Park this Sunday, radio ads hailing the return of Davy to Clare and people actually talking the match up. 10,000 on a fine day shouldn’t be beyond the bounds. That’s 10,000 fivers. But, more importantly, it is atmosphere; it is the roar of a goal being heard all over the town; it is kids seeing their heroes up close and it is what these men on the field deserve.

I was in Kerry at the weekend and wandered into Austin Stack Park to see a bit of Kerry and Wexford. There is very little to report. Naturally, Wexford were too strong for the Kingdom but you could only marvel at the effort of both sides. It was a heavy pitch and it made for a physical encounter. There are no courtesy cars on offer for this Kerry team, only damp and cold nights around North Kerry as they aspire to a possible Croke Park appearance later in the year, with the Christy Ring Cup their lofty ambition. There will be more beatings to come. They must love the game to do this and they clearly do. This is what hurling is about. It is what sustains us.

To catch Emmet's latest column, get 'The Farmers' Journal' every Thursday...