Who can hold their nerve in a close call? – Waterford v Clare preview

Rewind the closing stages of last year’s Munster semi final and an electric finale unfolds. Clare had the game within their grasp but they tensed up. Two spurned placed balls from Nicky O’Connell, a spillage from Darach Honan in front of goals and a last gasp Patrick Kelly free all came to nought. Stephen O’Keeffe also made a jaw dropping save at his near post from Conor McGrath. Waterford weathered the storm and showed that little bit cuteness to quieten Davy on that particular afternoon.

A similar tale unravelled in round one of the league. In another frantic finish, Waterford show steadiness. In the final play, they worked the ball patiently up the field to Shane O’Sullivan who drew the foul. Clare shot a dozen wides and couldn’t close out the contest. If it’s still a two horse race approaching the winning post on Sunday, who will make the decisive burst of acceleration?

The general consensus is that Waterford are on a gradual decline with Clare moving in the opposite direction. It’s not quite so simple. The Banner are without a win in the Munster championship since 2008 and that can prey on their minds. Under 21 success is no guarantee of senior silverware and only a win on Sunday will offer conclusive evidence that they are on the rise. On this stage, Waterford are the team with the winning mentality. Although there is a sprinkling of emerging talent, ten of the starting fifteen hold Munster medals. The Wonder Years swelled expectation levels and the current crop are eager to maintain those high standards. Many of the flair players and marquee names have departed but this team are steadily making their own unique footprint. In the league, they displayed a mental toughness and resilience in all five outings. The doom and gloom before the campaign dissipated with each performance.  All the forwards worked ferociously hard and the half back line kept things tight at the other end. There is steel amongst this group and also an experienced core of players still capable of mixing it with the top teams. From numbers one to nine, there is an air of assuredness. Ian O’Regan’s recent surge of form earned him the goalkeeping slot with the injuries to Shane Fives and Stephen Daniels forcing a sensible reshuffle which sees Paudie Prendergast promoted.

After that point, it is uncertain whether this front six can produce a total to win a cut throat championship match but they are finding form. Pauric Mahony is striking the frees sweetly for club and county of late, Brian O’Halloran brimmed with enthusiasm in the league and Jake Dillon hurled out of his skin for De La Salle in the early rounds of the county championship. Both sides play a similar brand of possession hurling but Clare make more use of the hand pass and support runners. Seamus Prendergast offers an outlet for a direct ball but the other front men require low ball to get their hands on the sliotar. An awful lot rests on Prendergast's ability to win puck outs and impose himself against a strong Clare half back line featuring current All Star Brendan Bugler. Remarkably, he is only member of the sextet with a championship goal to his credit. Maurice Shanahan or Jamie Barron look the most likely to break their duck if they put the head down and take on their markers. Waterford’s long range shooting has been an impressive feature of their play but they must also begin to make inroads closer to goal and become more inventive. The lack of a threat from close in frees raises another red flag. Ian O’Regan recently tried his luck from a penalty in a challenge game with Limerick to no avail.

The team selected by Davy Fitzgerald features fourteen from the relegation play-off win over the Rebels with Conor McGrath taking the place of Darach Honan. A single point defeat to Kilkenny rocked their confidence but they will be boosted by surviving in the top tier and coming through a 90 minute marathon in the process. Davy Fitzgerald is strangely subdued before this match. At the Munster championship launch, selector Louis Mulqueen was sent out on his behalf to perform the media duties. Away from the limelight, he will try to shield his players from the hype that is building. On Newstalk during the week, Jamesie O’Connor expressed the view that they were looking to break into the top four this season.

Apart from the hiding they endured against Tipperary, they were right in the frame for the other league games. Despite creating an abundance of chances, they struggled to billow the net. The Banner managed just four majors in six games They did however put up plenty of points (117 over six games). 58 of those came off the stick of Colin Ryan who is unlikely to buckle under the pressure from frees. Despite their impressive points tally they also amounted a considerable wides total. In a similar manner to Waterford, they like to take on efforts from distance. 16 went awry in the one that got away against the Cats and in the relegation play-off ,they accumulated a staggering 24 stray shots

Tony Kelly makes them tick from centre forward and he fired six points from play to put Cork to the sword. He drifts deep and knits together pretty patterns which will give Michael Walsh a decision to make. In the league meeting earlier this season, he registered 1-3. John Conlon is on the periphery of an All Star if he can sustain his performance levels over the campaign. This is his fifth season on the senior scene and he offers power amongst a lightweight forward line. He is also lethal from long range given the space. Conor McGrath returned from hip surgery in the latter part of the league and his trickery will cause trouble in the corner. 1-26 in five championship games (1-11 from play) proves his pedigree. Darragh Fives may take up the task of shadowing the Cratloe flyer. Shane O’Donnell’s size will also give Liam Lawlor plenty to deal with.

Clare may hold more aces in attack but Waterford can shade the battle around the middle. Jamie Nagle is enjoying a solid season at wing back alongside the every dependable Michael Walsh. That duo can guide the versatile Paudie Prendergast through his championship debut. Shane O’Sullivan and Kevin Moran can pull back to help out the defence but they will also be expected to drive forward and contribute on the scoresheet. The half back line and midfield hold the key to disrupting the flow of Clare’s short game and putting Waterford on a positive footing.

The lengthy league lay off and youthful line-ups makes this Munster championship opener hard to gauge.  In a fast paced and open contest, Clare should prevail which means that Waterford must hold their shape and eliminate any mistakes at the back. If it does become close and more of an arm wrestle, Michael Ryan’s men stand a better chance of emerging once again by a slim margin. The expectation and pressure weighs on Clare to back up their underage success and how they deal with that will ultimately determine the verdict. Can Waterford cope with the loss of so many leaders in a short space of time? They still remain battle hardened around the middle third and if Prendergast can continue his renaissance on the forty (or at full forward) Waterford can keep Clare waiting for a breakthrough.

Munster Hurling Quarter Final
Clare v Waterford
4.00 at Semple Stadium
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)
Betting: Clare 4/7 Draw 10/1 Waterford 7/4

Clare: P Kelly; D O’Donovan, D McInerney, S Morey; B Bugler, P Donnellan, P O’ Connor; Conor Ryan, C Galvin; J Conlon, T Kelly, C Ryan; P Collins, S O’Donnell, C McGrath.

Waterford; I O’Regan; D Fives, L Lawlor, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, P Prendergast; S O’Sullivan, Kevin Moran; M Shanahan, S Prendergast, B O’Halloran; J Barron, P Mahony, J Dillon.