Yet my abiding memory of the weekend was actually from Saturday night. It was the sight of Richie Bennis (right) throwing his arms around a shellshocked Babs Keating at the end of extra-time between Tipp and Limerick. Being busy talking to RTE at the time, Babs was taken unawares and didn't seem to know whether to laugh or cry. But it was immensely heartening to see two old warriors embrace at the end of such a tense, high-pressure match. Good also to see Bennis standing up for a man who'd been heavily criticised . . . and publicly called on to resign, indeed . . . in the buildup to the game.

Clare versus Cork and all that accompanied and followed it; Waterford versus Cork; Tipperary versus Limerick for the third time today.

We've never had a more eventful start to the championship, and I suspect another epic is waiting just around the corner. "Scrap the Munster championship"? What folly that would be!

Richie Bennis's joy was easily understandable. Limerick had barely raised a trot, not to mention a gallop, for 55 minutes. Then came their storming finish, then extra-time, then Andrew O'Shaughnessy's late miss. The evening ended with the same player atoning by converting an injury-time 65 from a spot not far from where Bennis had landed his own famous 70 to win the 1973 Munster final. Phew.

It's difficult to say how much of the turnaround was due to Tipperary collapsing and how much of it was due to Limerick upping their game when all seemed lost. Tipp were certainly unfortunate to lose Eamon Corcoran, who was playing a pivotal role at wing-back, and Shane McGrath through injury, while the demotion of Brendan Cummins, excellently though Gerry Kennedy acquitted himself, couldn't have helped morale either. All in all, however, one had to feel after both games that Limerick had a shape to their team whereas Tipperary didn't. In Stephen Lucey, Brian Geary and Ollie Moran, who's been a revelation, Limerick have had key men in key positions hurling with drive and passion. Tipperary have been unable to match fire with fire in these areas. Also, Limerick have used their subs to much better effect; Mike Fitzgerald, Kevin Tobin and James O'Brien scored 1-7 between them after coming on last week.

Besides, Babs doesn't appear to be any closer to possessing a centre-back around whom the rest of the team can rally. In Conor O'Mahony, Benny Dunne, Hugh Maloney and Diarmaid Fitzgerald he has too many players of broadly the same type vying for the same positions. Entering their third outing of the championship, Tipp are no closer to being settled, particularly in defence. At club level a manager has to make the best of what he has, at intercounty level he has options. But sometimes being spoiled for choice isn't any more preferable to being forced to run with what you have.

Both sets of players have to take it from the top yet again today. It's some ask. Mental strength and physical fitness will be major factors. Whichever team raises their game better will win, in which case it might not even be a close contest. One or other may win comfortably.

Limerick mustn't think that, just because they drew in Thurles and have home advantage here, they only have to turn up for victory to fall into their lap.

Remember what happened the last time it was suggested a Limerick team more or less had a right to win a big match? But on the basis that they're more settled than Tipp, I feel they'll do it today.

Cork and Waterford excelled themselves on Sunday. Waterford will not be happy to have conceded three goals, which was the most Cork have scored since the 2003 All Ireland semi-final replay against Wexford. Questions about the Deise full-back line that seemed to have been put to rest were raised again.

Worrying.

For their part, Cork can readily provide valid reasons why they conceded five goals for the first time in the championship since 1989. Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Sean Og O hAilpin were huge losses. Donal Og Cusack had to have been a loss too, not that there was any blaming Anthony Nash for the goals that flew past him.

But there were pluses for Cork on the day in addition to the obvious minuses.

They've unearthed a couple of serious players in exactly the area they needed them: the forwards. Pa Cronin, with his unorthodox style and size and aerial ability, looks a real find, and you can't say that the old full-forward, Brian Corcoran, would have done better than the new one, Kieran Murphy, did.

Cork are wounded. This makes them an infinitely more dangerous proposition than they were before last Sunday.

What's more, they have a new cause.

The last time Cork had a cause they claimed two All Irelands out of it.

This would be a very sweet All Ireland for them to win. They're well in the running to burst in through the back door and do just that.