Niall O'Leary insists the Cork hurlers are not in a race to be the best of the rest below Limerick - but says his side must get off to a fast start in Munster.
The Rebels make their championship bow against the four in a row chasing Treaty men at the TUS Gaelic Grounds tomorrow, and after Limerick got their own bid underway with last week's two point victory over Waterford.
There have been positive signs that Cork can challenge for Munster and All-Ireland honours with Pat Ryan at the helm. They beat Limerick by a point in a dramatic ending to their league clash and finished on top of the Division 1A table, then lost to Kilkenny in the league semis.
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O'Leary insists it isn't just Limerick's championship to lose, despite their recent dominance. "I don't think so, no," the defender said.
"That Kilkenny game, I don't know, things just didn't go right on the day for us. The sending off probably played a small part in it too. At the same time, we just didn't perform on the day.
"I don't think we started as well as we should have. We just didn't play up to standard. I think we were a bit flat. That was about it.
"I don't think it's a setback. We've been playing a lot of in-house games and they've been every bit as tough as any of the league games we've played. We're lucky enough that they're so competitive.
"There are a lot of positives that we took from the League. At the same time, it was probably disappointing the way it finished up. A major thing for us was that we got to see a lot of players.
"A lot of younger lads who probably wouldn't have got in at different stages in different years, they've got in now and put their hands up for selection for the championship.
"We have two home games to start off the Munster championship this year and it will be important to get a result in both of them. It's a Munster championship now that you kind of can't be chasing, I suppose.
"You need to get a result early on to do well in it.
"This year the Munster championship is wide open. Every team seems to be coming forward very well since the league. Limerick are going to be in the top three, we'll be hoping ourselves will be, and possibly Tipp.
"Once we're there I don't mind anyway."
This is O'Leary's fifth season on the panel and the Castlelyons man is optimistic about Cork's future given how well management has integrated young players into the set-up.
Now an established figure in the full-back line, he speaks of the high level of trust that has been built in terms of players knowing that they will be picked on form, regardless of age and experience level.
For himself, O'Leary feels comfortable in playing a mentoring role when called upon.
"I suppose you learn different things as the years go by," he said.
"This year there has probably been a bigger level of trust put in my hands and I've probably been one of the older fellas playing some days. That wasn't there before so that's something that should stand to me in the championship."
And he relishes the chance to take on the best forwards in the game. Sunday will be no different, given the firepower at Waterford's disposal.
"I've been tasked to mark the likes of Tony Kelly and Jason Forde on different days," O'Leary recalled.
"I suppose if you look at Jason Forde in the league, he's put in a great shift this year. They're tough lads to mark.
"We're lucky enough then in training as well that we have some of the best forwards in the country. You have the likes of Hoggie, Kingston, Jack O'Connor... any of these lads are excellent. If you're able to manage them in training, you're going to do somewhat good at the weekend.
"The forwards you're marking these days are so good, and there's so much space created for fellas like that in the inside line, if they get two or three points I think you're still doing well enough.
"You kind of have to take into consideration that they're going to score. Once you can kind of keep them to a certain limit, you're doing well enough.
"It's definitely something we've been working on with the likes of Gary Keegan on that mental game. For us in the back line, it's something we probably would have previously said that you're trying your best to keep your man scoreless.
"But in this day and age, if you can limit your man to a certain point you're doing well."
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