One of the best aspects of the GAA is having the opportunity to play competitive sport with your closest friends. There is nothing quite like pulling on a jersey and going to battle with lads you have known for years, and it gives that extra sense of accomplishment when you manage to achieve something in the game.
Then there are times when you can up against your mates on the pitch. That can be a bit of an awkward situation at times, especially after the game when the result have been decided.
We saw such a dynamic in play last weekend, although it was not actually on the field of play. Limerick took on Tipperary in the Munster Championship last weekend, upsetting the odds to come away with a victory in Thurles.
It was a massive win for Limerick, but also had a personal aspect for their manager Billy Lee. He is close friends with his opposite number on the Tipp sideline, with both himself and Liam Kearns working with the Limerick footballers from 1999-2005.
Speaking on this week's Three Man Weave, the Balls.ie GAA Podcast, Lee said coming up against his good friend in this game is just another part of sport.
I suppose it's a difficult one. Me and Liam would be friends, we have been for many years. But I suppose look, we respect each other and Liam was trying to beat me and I was trying to beat him.
That's just the way it is, that's the nature of sport. But after the game it's not easy, I knew how tough it was for Liam after that. Your friends are your friends, and they will always be bigger than sport. You've got to be mindful of that even though you'd be happy with the win.
That put Liam on the back foot I suppose, and there's no better man to deal with those challenges than Liam. His record before shows that and proves it. Look it's just the way it happens and that's it.
Limerick will be hoping to build on their first Munster Championship victory since 2012 over the remainder of the summer, with Cork next up on June 1st. Considering the way the season has gone for The Rebel County thus far, it would not be all that surprising to see Limerick grab another win in that one.
To listen to the full podcast, which includes an interview with Limerick manager Billy Lee, analysis of all the games and a preview of this weekend, search 'Balls.ie' on Spotify, iTunes, Pocketcast or any good podcast platform.
