Hopeful captains outline their best and worst memories of the previous hurling campaigns.
Ger O'Grady (Tipperary captain)
Best championship experience?
(Thurles, May '05 - Tipp 2-14 Limerick 2-14)
"Last year against Limerick in Semple Stadium I got a goal. I only live across the road from the ground and I always dreamed of scoring a goal in front of a big crowd. I was lucky enough to come on and score a goal."
Worst championship experience?
(Croke Park, July '05 - Galway 2-20 Tipp 2-18)
"I came on against Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final and got a point and then I was taken straight off again. I don't know if it was a mistake or what, but it was a long oul' walk back to the dugout."
All-Ireland winners? (Excluding own county)
"I'd put my neck on the line and say Galway. They're a year older now and have a few players coming through."
Pat Mulcahy (Cork captain)
Best championship experience?
(Croke Park, Sep '05 - Cork 1-21 Galway 1-16)
"Last year's All-Ireland final against Galway because it was the first time I'd won an All-Ireland on the field of play. It was tiring - I was fla'ed out by the end of it - but it was unbelievable, the buzz the second the final whistle went and the feeling that you'd won an All-Ireland.
Worst championship experience?
(Cork, May '01 - Limerick 1-16 Cork 1-15)
"Probably 2001 against Limerick in the first round of the championship. It didn't go very well for me and at that time it was knockout so Cork were finished for the year in May.
There was no second chance to try and prove yourself and get back into it. I was waiting two years trying to get back in. That was tough, that was hard to take.
All-Ireland winners? (excluding own county)
"I think Galway will be dangerous after the experience they got last year. They're a serious threat. They've all the talent, all the ability and now they've got the experience behind them as well. But it's the most even championship we've had in the past four or five years."
Paul Flynn (Waterford captain)
Best championship experience?
(Cork, June '98 - Waterford 0-21 Tipperary 2-12)
"The first-round win against Tipperary in '98. 1993 we were beaten, '94 we were beaten, '95 we were beaten, '96 we were beaten, '97 we were beaten. Six years before we won a Munster championship match.
"No matter what people say, you can hurl away with your club and be impressive, but that day in the summer is completely different, the sheer intensity of it. Tipperary had been beaten in the All-Ireland the year before so it was a big win for us."
Worst championship experience?
(Cork, June '01 - Limerick 4-11 Waterford 2-14)
"The first day I played was the defeat by Kerry, but that kind of ran off my back. The worst was the defeat by Limerick in 2001 when we were 11 points up after 15 minutes, played unreal stuff and then gave away a goal before half-time. We still went in six points up, which you'd take in a Munster championship.
But then all the momentum was with Limerick. Paul O'Grady topped a 65 and it fell short. Bang into the net. A shot that should have gone over or wide ended up as a goal. That changed the whole game. That was galling.
All-Ireland winners? (excluding own county)
After winning the league and finding a few players, Kilkenny, probably.
Brendan Murphy (Offaly captain)
Best championship experience?
(Croke Park, Aug '00 - Offaly 0-19 Cork 0-15)
"Beating Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final in 2000 was definitely a personal high. Going into that match we weren't expected to win. It was my first year on the panel, playing with the likes of Johnny Dooley and Brian Whelahan and we got to an All-Ireland final."
Worst championship experience?
(Croke Park, June '05 - Kilkenny 6-28 Offaly 0-15)
"Definitely last year against Kilkenny - without a shadow of a doubt. It was difficult because we'd had a serious lack of competitive games.
"Waterford in a practice game was the only game we had coming up to it and that lacked any sort of intensity. We had been up and down on our form in Division Two and were after getting beaten by Carlow.
"But we went through the whole league in first gear and when it came to championship we tried to up it and just couldn't. We beat Carlow by 20 points in the Division Two final, but they scored four goals that day. We didn't pick up on that and no disrespect to Carlow but if they can score four goals against you, we should have realised what Kilkenny were going to do to us."
All-Ireland winners? (excluding own county)
"I have a sneaking feeling for Galway. We've played them in a few ties and the depth of players they have means they'll be a serious threat."
