One of the most common GAA rumours is the one about a team that is “flying in training”, with the opposite, of course – “they’re not going well” – also often in use. Unless you are taking the training yourself or you’re a player at the sessions, then these are nothing more than rumours. But they are always with us.

Who starts these stories? Well, we have always had those in our midst that like to be first with the news and in lieu of real news, they resort to making some up. The social media revolution has been a boon for them because conspiracy theorists thrive in the forums set up to encourage the nameless keyboard warriors.

They really get going when a match is lost because in the immediate aftermath, they are first with the reports of trouble in the camp before the game, during the game and after the game. The Liam McCarthy Cup hadn’t reached the Kilkenny dressing room last September before the rumblings of an almighty row in the Galway dressing room at half-time of the All-Ireland final were rampant.

According to “eye-witness accounts”, players’ fathers had gone into the sanctity of the highly protected dressing room to berate the manager and selectors. As if someone could travel from the Hogan or Cusack stands and actually get to the ground floor dressing rooms at half-time of an All-Ireland. As if, having managed to change lifts and bypass about three security checks, someone could then arrive and barge their way into a well-protected dressing room of a team in an All-Ireland final. By the way, Galway led the final by three points, 0-14 to 1-8, at the break. Hardly grounds for a row, was it? Yet there are those still swearing it happened.

I’ve heard that Limerick’s hurlers are not going well and I’m hearing this for the last month. They played Waterford down in Cork in a challenge a few weeks ago and were destroyed in the first half, so the story goes. Some players are overweight and being warned about their preparations, the rumours say. Printing them here gives credence to such whispers but I’ve heard worse about Limerick players and then watched them win a Munster title about four weeks later. So most of this can and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Limerick v Tipperary

Limerick are one of the GAA’s best-supported teams and that is usually rewarded by their hurlers, who play with great pride in their jersey. I expect nothing less from them this Sunday in Thurles when they may be overmatched in talent, but they won’t be found wanting in heart. That’s the Limerick way, and Tipperary know all about it because they have always struggled to put the Shannonsiders away, even when they are clearly the better team. That’s been the beauty of Munster hurling for over 100 years: teams playing above themselves and rising to beat the odds.

It is hard to go against Tipp because they are probably carrying the best squad in hurling right now, are playing at home and have a Munster championship game behind them. Limerick, on the other hand, had a disappointing league campaign – something they’ve excelled at in recent years – had one good day against Dublin in Parnell Park, but fell away to the Déise in the league semi-final.

Injury-wise, they are close to fully fit but they cannot match the forward power that will be thrown at them. This is what makes Tipp serious contenders and marginal favourites for the All-Ireland. Bubbles, Callanan, both McGraths and Bonnar Maher (if he starts) are serious operators and the Limerick backs must hold almost all of them to have a chance.

Their rear guard are a decent unit, McCarthy, Ryan, Hickey and newcomer Byrnes all impressive, and when they hurl from the front they can keep their forwards in the game, but I fear that Limerick’s attack is where they will fall down.

Aside from the brilliant Cian Lynch, they haven’t uncovered the killer forward to win games like this. Ironically, Lynch is the type of player that would set up a Cregan or a McKenna, but alas, class like that is far too rare. The Tipp backs are also as good as what Kilkenny and Waterford have to pick from, Cathal Barrett with Michael Cahill back in harness, not to forget the Mahers. Players like that can take the heat and stay in the kitchen.

We will see more hitting than we have seen yet this year, the first half in Portlaois aside, but when the hits have been delivered, Tipp will still be standing.

Galway v Offaly

On the same day, Galway will ensure that shocks in the hurling championship remain thin on the ground, the ground in question here is Portlaoise where Offaly might buzz around the Tribesmen for a while, but eventually will be swatted away.

Qualifiers

This weekend sees the start of the qualifiers where the lowest rung is usually reserved for the no-hopers, but this year Armagh and Derry make an appearance. Laois are the ones charged with calling an end to the Armagh circus this summer and they have every chance. Derry should have too much for Louth.

Galway v mayo

The game of the weekend could be in Castlebar on Saturday night when underdogs Galway try to derail the Mayo express – one that has been rattling through Connacht now for an unprecedented five summers, heading for number six.

Tipperary’s footballers have set the bar high for shocks but I fancy Galway have been eyeing this game for six months or more. Their manager Kevin Walsh has hatched many an ambush on the field and this has all the conditions necessary. McHale Park won’t frighten the Tribe and neither will the green and red jersey, despite the undoubted quality that is filling it these days. Could be the football game of the weekend.

Tyrone v Cavan

Tyrone and Cavan could battle for that accolade as well in their Ulster semi-final, couldn’t they? No. Not really. In what has been the most one-sided Ulster championship in living memory, that won’t change. In this case, it is Old Man River and Mickey Harte who’ll keep rolling along.

PS, best of luck to our international rugby and soccer sides who are providing plenty of entertainment for us these few weeks. I’m afraid to write about any of them in case I jinx it!