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Two-time Clare All-Ireland winner Jamesie O'Connor says it will be "so hard" for Tipperary to retain the Liam McCarthy Cup.
Tipp claimed a 29th All-Ireland title and their first since 2019 with a 3-27 to 1-18 final win against Cork in last year's Croke Park final.
But O'Connor believes that Limerick, who won four in a row from 2020-2023, are the early frontrunners to win the biggest prize in hurling, even without five-time All-Ireland winner Seamus Flanagan in the panel.
"Limerick are possibly everyone's favourites at the minute," he told the GAA Social podcast.
"They were beaten by a point by Dublin last year and by Cork the year before, they haven't gone away and you'll imagine there will be a hunger there that the clock is ticking for that bunch.
"He [John Kiely] has freshened up the panel and I'm really surprised Seamus Flanagan was dropped.
"We have spoken to him and his mindset, he was ready to really commit and make a real big effort. Whoever is going to win it will have to beat Limerick along the way."
O'Connor also tipped his native Clare to be in the running to reclaim the title they won in 2024, if they can keep players like Shane O'Donnell, Diarmuid Ryan and Conor Cleary fit for the full campaign.
"I don't think Clare will be a million miles away, if they can stay injury free," he added.
"Last year O'Donnell missed most of the championship, Diarmuid Ryan was missing, and Conor Clearly was out for big games.
"Liam Cahill would probably still say the game in Ennis where Tipp held off Clare [in the Munster SHC] was massive in that it gave them the belief they could go on and win [the All-Ireland title].
"Clare won't be far away but I just think Tipp haven't done it before [retaining the All-Ireland title] and he's got huge talent coming through which will keep boys on their toes, but it's so hard to go back-to-back, they mightn't even get out of Munster or they could win it."
On the podcast, O'Connor also talks about his career, the furor around Cork hurling and his move into punditry.
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Tipp claimed a 29th All-Ireland title and their first since 2019 with a 3-27 to 1-18 final win against Cork in last year's Croke Park final.
But O'Connor believes that Limerick, who won four in a row from 2020-2023, are the early frontrunners to win the biggest prize in hurling, even without five-time All-Ireland winner Seamus Flanagan in the panel.
"Limerick are possibly everyone's favourites at the minute," he told the GAA Social podcast.
"They were beaten by a point by Dublin last year and by Cork the year before, they haven't gone away and you'll imagine there will be a hunger there that the clock is ticking for that bunch.
"He [John Kiely] has freshened up the panel and I'm really surprised Seamus Flanagan was dropped.
"We have spoken to him and his mindset, he was ready to really commit and make a real big effort. Whoever is going to win it will have to beat Limerick along the way."
O'Connor also tipped his native Clare to be in the running to reclaim the title they won in 2024, if they can keep players like Shane O'Donnell, Diarmuid Ryan and Conor Cleary fit for the full campaign.
"I don't think Clare will be a million miles away, if they can stay injury free," he added.
"Last year O'Donnell missed most of the championship, Diarmuid Ryan was missing, and Conor Clearly was out for big games.
"Liam Cahill would probably still say the game in Ennis where Tipp held off Clare [in the Munster SHC] was massive in that it gave them the belief they could go on and win [the All-Ireland title].
"Clare won't be far away but I just think Tipp haven't done it before [retaining the All-Ireland title] and he's got huge talent coming through which will keep boys on their toes, but it's so hard to go back-to-back, they mightn't even get out of Munster or they could win it."
On the podcast, O'Connor also talks about his career, the furor around Cork hurling and his move into punditry.
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