This week Dinny Cahill dispensed with the kind of sound bites managers usually resort to at this stage of the championship. Instead of lavishing praise on the opposition, he predicted Antrim would beat Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park.
He even pointed out several flaws in last year's All-Ireland finalists, singling out the new midfield partnership of Tom Kenny and Gerry O'Connor, along with Niall McCarthy at centre forward.
"Cork have weaknesses in their team, strong points as well, but they have been shown to have plenty of problems throughout the year," said Cahill.
"They've been chopping and changing and have two new faces in the centrefield, (John) Gardiner moving back into defence. The half-forward line, and centre forward, is another area we have to exploit."
Although the comments were a refreshing break from the norm, they still must be viewed with scepticism. Cahill has been making a 400-mile round trip from his native Tipperary for three years now with very little reward outside the Ulster championship.
Judging from their disastrous league campaign and the Ulster championship, when they needed a replay to see off Down, things are moving in the wrong direction.
This match could be Cahill's swan song and he appears determined, if he is leaving, to go out in a blaze of glory. Speaking to him, you get the impression Antrim are going in as favourites. That, or he is playing mind games with the old enemy across the Tipp border.
"Antrim have only lost two (championship) games in the last three years," he asserts. "The league has nothing to do with it - I used it to try out young lads, blood new players.
"League is for playing, championship is for winning. Look at Waterford's performance in the league final against Galway and then the next week against Clare. Sections of the media and people who have never played the game don't understand that the league is for learning. When you get that in your head then things change."
Antrim players understand that now. And with the memory of last year's quarter-final collapse against Wexford at Croke Park still in their thoughts, they feel they have unfinished business at HQ. Cahill recalls how desperately unlucky they were against Wexford.
While in his first year in charge he felt they didn't have what it takes, now as they prepare for a third bite at the cherry he feels the experience is there.
"We are very confident as we have prepared as well as any team. We were very down and out after the Wexford experience. They are a hard team to beat."
At least next year the Hurling Development Committee (HDC) revamp comes into place, giving Antrim more time with the elite counties.
"We're not thinking about next year," insisted Cahill. "Sunday is vital and we are going to have one good go at it, really push ourselves. Not the day of reckoning but a day to show we're a good team. Against Wexford last year we were done out of the game with two poor refereeing decisions."
Cahill has his side chomping at the bit for the mammoth task ahead. Training levels have been upped in recent weeks, while they kept Waterford interested for 70 minutes in a challenge match last week with only two points separating them at the finish.
Cork in the championship, though, is another level. Cahill has talked the talk; now his charges must walk the walk. The gauntlet has been thrown down for the shock of the summer. The problem could be the fired-up response from an angry Cork to such an outspoken challenge.
