This year's Leinster SHC group phase looks like it's winding its way to a very exciting conclusion.
The draw between Dublin and Wexford and then the Slaneysiders and Galway subsequently sharing the spoils only adds to the possible eventual permutations - who would rule out another draw in the group stages?
However, first and foremost Dublin most defeat Carlow in Netwatch Cullen Park this coming Sunday (3.0).
Dublin's dramatic 1-22 to 2-19 draw with Wexford two weekends past in Parnell Park could yet prove to be a very significant outcome for Mattie Kenny's men - not just in terms of earning a point but also in terms of strengthening their mindset.
The Dubs had faded out of their early group game against Kilkenny after an impressive opening half, a trait that also haunted them in late on in games in last year's championship, despite some encouraging displays.
So maybe Seán Moran's late goal from a 20-metre free could prove to be a key turning point.
Following a promising league that saw Dublin reach the HL Division 1 semi-final they have enjoyed plenty of positives over their two championship games to date.
Unfortunately Dublin's hopes faded late in the second half against the Cats in their Leinster SHC opener in Nowlan Park on May 11.
The Dubs led at half-time by four points, 1-13 to 0-12, after a rip-roaring opening 35 minutes.
In the opening half Dublin were certainly the better side.
The intensity and physicality of Mattie Kenny's men was impressive with the movement of Dublin's inside forward line and ball-winning of Liam Rushe causing problems for the Cats with Danny Sutcliffe, in particular, clipping over some stylish scores.
At the back the Dublin half-back line once again was setting the tone for the rest of Mattie's men to follow and indeed Dublin could, maybe should, have led by more than four points at the break with Seán Moran putting over a penalty just before the interval.
Reflecting on the game Dublin manager Mattie Kenny said: "We were in a reasonably healthy position going in at half-time. Ten minutes after half-time we kind of maintained that position but then Kilkenny got a goal and from that we started going too direct and too route-one.
“That gave their backs a chance to mop up the possession and build out. They had a bit more space to attack in the second-half rather than the first. That’s a thing I try to coach a lot, that would be big in my philosophy of hurling – that you build your attacks.
“In the last 20 minutes we went too much route one, and that allowed the Kilkenny backs to sit back, eat up that possession. Then when they were coming out, they had more space to attack into.
“I think Dublin built some lovely scores in the first half and we just needed to maintain that approach and have the mental discipline to keep doing that.”
However, overall TJ Reid once again proved to be the tormentor-in-chief as Kilkenny mounted a powerful second half surge that brought them to victory.
Dublin made adjustments for the clash with Wexford with the introduction of both Cian Boland and Conal Keaney strengthening the side, while Tomás Connolly's repositioning worked well.
Paul Ryan also enjoyed a great day from deadball contributing 0-10 (0-7f, 0-1 '65') in Dublin's 1-22 to 2-19 draw with Davy Fitzgerald's men in Parnell Park on May 19.
Add to that the fact that the injured trio of Darragh O'Connell, Cian O'Callaghan and John Hetherton are returning to full fitness and hopefully Dublin will have a deeper pool from which to select.
While Dublin were very glad of the draw with Wexford it was a game they could have won, a fact acknowledged by manager Mattie Kenny.
The Dubs led by five points at one stage of the second half, however, the Slaneysiders rocked their hosts with goals from Liam Og McGovern and Jack O'Connor and looked set for glory in the final moments before Seán Moran's late, late heroics.
"Look, when it went down to the last puck of the game, we were delighted to get the draw," said Dublin manager Mattie Kenny.
"But I suppose the feeling of the players and the feeling of ourselves was we were in a winning position half-way through the second half.
"(Mark) Fanning made a really, really good save when Liam Rushe caught a really good ball and put in Paul Ryan. If that ball had gone in, it was game over at that stage.
"So we're disappointed that we didn't go on and win the game in that period."
So an improving Carlow are up next and Dublin will need to bring their 'A game' to Carlow.
Both goals Dublin have scored to date in the Championship have been from deadball (Seán Moran penalty and free) and they'll look to address that aspect of their attacking play.
They'll also look for greater impact off the bench in the second period.
So a victory this Sunday in Cullen Park and 13 days later (Saturday, June 15, 7.0) its Galway in Parnell Park in what could be a belter. But that could only come to pass if they defeat their hosts this weekend.
2019 LEINSTER SHC
Round 1
Saturday, May 11
Kilkenny 2-23 Dublin 1-21
Sunday, May 12
Galway 1-24 Carlow 1-18
Round 2
Sunday, May 19
Carlow 1-14 Kilkenny 3-22
Dublin 1-22 Wexford 2-19
Round 3
Sunday, May 26
Galway 0-16 Wexford 0-16
Sunday, June 2
Carlow v Dublin, 3.0, Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow
Round 4
Saturday, June 8
Wexford v Carlow, 7.0, Wexford Park
Sunday, June 9
Kilkenny v Galway, 2.0, Nowlan Park
Round 5
Saturday, June 15
Wexford v Kilkenny, 7.0, Wexford Park
Dublin v Galway, 7.0, Parnell Park
Final
Sunday, June 30
1st v 2nd, 4.0, Croke Park
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LEINSTER SHC TABLE
P
W
D
L
F
A
Diff
Pts
1
Kilkenny
2
2
0
0
5-45
2-35
19
4
2
Galway
2
1
1
0
1-40
1-34
6
3
3
Wexford
2
0
2
0
2-35
1-38
0
2
4
Dublin
2
0
1
1
2-43
4-42
-5
1
5
Carlow
2
0
0
2
2-32
4-46
-20
0
2019 SHC FORMAT****
All-Ireland championship
- In the Leinster and Munster provincial championships, five teams compete in single round-robin matches, home or away. The top two teams in each provincial group contest the provincial final, with the provincial winners advancing to the two All-Ireland semi-finals and the losing provincial finalists advancing to the two quarter-finals.
- The third-placed teams in Leinster and Munster compete in All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals against the two Joe McDonagh Cup finalists with the Joe McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage.
Promotion and relegation in Leinster or Munster championships
- If a non-Munster team wins the Joe McDonagh Cup, the bottom team in the Leinster championship is relegated to next year's Joe McDonagh Cup and is replaced in next year's Leinster championship by the Joe McDonagh Cup winners. This arrangement allows teams from Connacht and Ulster to gain promotion to the Tier 1 championship.
- If a Munster team wins the Joe McDonagh Cup, they playoff against the team that finished bottom in the Munster championship for the right to play in next year's Munster championship, thereby ensuring that only Munster teams compete in the Munster hurling championship.
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2019 DUBLIN SENIOR HURLERS: Scoring Chart
Dublin senior hurlers have scored 2-43 and conceded 4-42 in their two Championship games to date (loss against Kilkenny, draw with Wexford). Thirteen players have contributed to Dublin's scoring tally so far.
Paul Ryan 0-11 (0-7f, 0-1 '65')
Seán Moran 2-4 (1-2f, 1-1 pens)
David Treacy 0-6 (0-6f)
Danny Sutcliffe 0-4
Fergal Whitely 0-3
Chris Crummey 0-3
Tomás Connolly 0-3
Cian Boland 0-3
Conal Keaney 0-2
Darragh O'Connell 0-1
Liam Rushe 0-1
Seán Treacy 0-1
Eamonn Dillon 0-1
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2019 DUBLIN'S SENIOR HURLERS: SHC GAME-BY-GAME
LEINSTER SHC ROUND-ROBIN ROUND 1
SATURDAY, MAY 11: Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
KILKENNY 2-23 DUBLIN 1-21
SCORERS - Kilkenny: TJ Reid 2-12 (0-11f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘65’), A Murphy 0-3, G Aylward, R Leahy 0-2 each, W Walsh, P Walsh, A Mullen, T Walsh 0-1 each. Dublin: D Treacy 0-6 (0-6f), S Moran 1-2 (1-1 pen, 0-1f), D Sutcliffe 0-4, F Whitely, C Crummey 0-2 each, D O’Connell, P Ryan, T Connolly, L Rushe, S Treacy 0-1 each.
KILKENNY: D Brennan; P Murphy, P Deegan, T Walsh; E Morrissey, H Lawlor, C Fogarty; P Walsh, A Murphy; A Mullen, W Walsh, TJ Reid; B Ryan, C Fennelly, G Aylward. Subs: R Leahy for Morrissey (ht), R Hogan for Ryan (40).
DUBLIN: A Nolan; D O’Connell, E O’Donnell, P Smyth; S Barrett, C Crummey, S Moran; S Treacy, T Connolly; F Whitely, D Sutcliffe, D Treacy; P Ryan, L Rushe, E Dillon. Subs: R McBride for Connolly (51), C Keaney for Ryan (61), C Boland for S Treacy (66), J Malone for D Treacy (72), R Hayes for Rushe (74).
REF: C McAllister (Cork).
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LEINSTER SHC ROUND-ROBIN ROUND 2
SUNDAY, MAY 19: Parnell Park
DUBLIN 1-22 WEXFORD 2-19
SCORERS - Dublin: P Ryan 0-10 (0-7f, 0-1 '65'), S Moran 1-2 (1-1f), C Boland 0-3, T Connolly, C Keaney 0-2 each, C Crummey, F Whitely, E Dillon 0-1 each. Wexford: L Chin 0-11 (0-8f, 0-2 '65'), L Óg McGovern 1-1, C McDonald (0-2 sideline), S Murphy 0-3 each, A Nolan 0-1.
DUBLIN: A Nolan; T Connolly, E O'Donnell, P Smyth; S Barrett, S Moran, C Crummey; S Treacy, D Sutcliffe; C Boland, C Keaney, E Dillon; F Whitely, L Rushe, P Ryan. Subs: D Treacy for Keaney (49), J Malone for Boland (60), C Conway for S Treacy (63), R Hayes for Whitely (67).
WEXFORD: M Fanning; D Reck, L Ryan, S Donohoe; P Foley, M O'Hanlon, A Nolan; K Foley, S Murphy; D O'Keeffe, L Chin, L Óg McGovern; C McDonald, J O'Connor, R O'Connor. Subs: C Dunbar for Nolan (54), D Dunne for McDonald (66), H Kehoe for J O'Connor (67), S Reck for Murphy (73).
REF: F Horgan (Tipperary).