They may be giants, but most of the time they still fear each other. Five counties had representatives in Croke Park yesterday for the launch of the Guinness hurling championship, but not one of them was looking beyond the first game.

Kilkenny have been made strong favourites to retain the title, but for DJ Carey all the talk was about Offaly.

By starting against their old rivals on June 10th, Carey feels that the first hurdle could be the most difficult.

"Offaly do have a sting in the tail at the moment," he says. "Michael Bond has gone back in there for the sole reason of coming out and beating Kilkenny. They've been focusing on one day only and that's us. But we'll be doing everything in our power to be right as well.

"And our appetite is definitely back. Brian Cody's attitude is clear in that if the appetite is not there then he'd prefer to see someone else in there.

"Obviously Willie O'Connor has not fully decided yet if he wants to be a part of it but everyone else is back in training and training hard.

"We were disappointed the way we lost the league semi-final but there is still a certain amount of confidence after the All-Ireland victory."

Injuries, illness and post-championship tours have greatly interrupted Carey's preparations this season, but, having come through a club game last weekend, he is now back to full training with the panel.

"Well I've hit the 30 mark now and I can only go one way from here. My attitude now is that there is no more time for lean years and from now on I can only go as hard as I can for as long as I can. So I certainly won't be giving up any title too easily.

"And in some ways it's hungrier I get. I've missed a league and I'm mad for hurling now. And especially in a place like Kilkenny because you don't get to live too long on the success that you've had. And that's not a bad thing, because you are brought down to earth very quickly and that's where you should be."

Even with their league win last Sunday, Tipperary's feet are also placed firmly on level ground. Tommy Dunne repeats the quotes about the league victory over Clare and how different it will be on June 3rd.

"I really don't think that game will have any bearing on the next meeting. It was a good enough performance, but we both have players to come back.

"Only for Brendan Cummins, we could have been on the wrong end of the scoreline and I think Clare can definitely play a lot better.

"They will look back on that as a game of missed opportunities. Either way, I don't think there will be much in it the next day. We have some young faces that have established themselves and that helps as well."

Munster is again billed as the most difficult province to win. For Limerick, trying to win their first title there since 1996, Cork are once again the first ones standing in the way.

"It will take an almighty effort to beat Cork," says Barry Foley. "It's daunting playing Cork any time, but we're not going down there to lose. Hopefully we can get the breaks this time.

"Of course, we didn't do too well against Clare in the league, and that knocked us back a bit. But that was five weeks before we face Cork and we've just put the head down and started training hard."

For David Cuddy of Laois, who have just earned the right to play Dublin, the challenge is equally daunting.

"We are not exactly setting the world on fire at the moment. Dublin have been struggling, but they do have some good players and they have been preparing specifically for this game."

And then there is Galway, who don't even know yet who they will have to face first for a crack at the title.

"The main thing on our mind is to break out of this losing streak," says Rory Gantley. "We've been training hard now and whoever we meet, it won't be about skill or fitness. We have to get our attitude right this summer and that is something we are working on."