Tipperary remain intent on defending their All-Ireland hurling title even if preparations are a little rushed and the injuries still mounting. Team captain Tommy Dunne was at least sure of that yesterday at the launch of the 2002 championship.

As to who would actually win the title, Dunne was no more confident than the rest of the county captains gathered in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.

Few of them needed reminding that in the past seven years of the Guinness sponsorship, six different counties have won the championship. The 1920s were the last years of such variety.

With word now out that Tipperary are struggling with injury, and maybe even their form, Dunne had reason to be cautious. "Preparations have been difficult," he said. "We do have a lot of bad injuries, and things aren't going as well as they could be, but that's all outside our control.

"There is no less desire to win, and you have to stay positive about it. But the fact is that it's going to be more difficult than it was last year.

"We've felt that we've had to rush training a little bit, and try to cram more into a shorter space of time.

"But don't get the wrong impression, because we certainly don't intend on giving up the title without a fight. It's just that different things have happened this year that may make it more difficult."

The injuries concerns centre on Eddie Enright, John Carroll, Mark O'Leary, and Paul Ormonde - all of whom were part of last September's win over Galway. Substitute Paul Curran was added to the injured list after training on Tuesday and although they're not all serious injuries, some will be out for a couple of weeks, and others possibly longer.

"We had six or seven league games in a row and suddenly the injuries started," explained Dunne. "But we're still training as hard as we can and trying to do things as well as we can, but September to February came very quick and it was hard to get back into the same routine so quickly.

"We were lucky enough to survive against Clare last year but we got a bit of momentum after that, and picked it up as the year went on. So it would be great to get a good start against Clare again this year. We're certainly not looking beyond that game, and not thinking at all about the second chance."

For most counties the championship starts for real on Sunday week in Páirc Uí Chaoimh - just don't say that to Wicklow, Carlow and Kildare. Brian Lohan, the Clare captain, reckoned Tipperary could be just playing it cute.

"We've all heard stories about Tipperary not being at full strength," he said. "But with the strength of their panel they still have about 25 players that could still play in a Munster championship game. It's no comfort to us that they have a few players injured. Maybe if they had 12 or 14 injured we could get some comfort.

"And I think Tipperary have been cute. They got good league matches but didn't show their hand too much in the semi-final. Tipperary have improved a lot, too, and the game against us last year was probably their worst all summer."

Lohan's lack of confidence stems from Clare's poor form of recent months: "Things are going okay now, but the only way we could go after the league was up. We're starting from a poor position, and we do have a huge amount of questions to ask ourselves. And I think expectation in Clare is low now as well."

Yet Clare's reputation of recent seasons has been of a team that will come good for the championship, and in the corresponding fixture last year they clearly had enough possession to beat Tipperary, only to lose out by a point.

"That's the theory anyway. But we weren't able to lift it in the league. A big crowd came in to see us against Kilkenny and we disappointed badly. We were beaten in 15 positions.

"Approaching last year's game we knew we wouldn't be too far away. But we were coming on the back of a good league campaign. This year is different.

"We're still hopeful that we can turn it around, and the young lads are starting to find their feet now. It's not just a question of the team of 1995 or 1997 giving it one last try."

What then of Kilkenny and Cork, the two teams that showed the best form in the league? Kilkenny's winning captain, Andy Comerford, was quick to point out the great divide.

"Okay, league champions is grand but on the day Cork had 13 wides. We had no possession in the second half from say midfield up. So Cork's shape in the second half was much more like their championship side and I wouldn't say they were unduly worried."

Cork captain Wayne Sherlock appeared equally focused on regaining winning form in the championship, rather then the league, saying: "The league run has given us a bit of confidence."