Clare at home to Waterford in National Hurling League opener

If we are to believe rumblings coming out of Clare, then this Sunday’s game between Clare and Waterford at Cusack Park in the opening round of games in this years Allianz National Hurling League is a four gone conclusion.

News paper editors love Davy Fitzgerald. Paper seldom refuses ink and Davy is a champion at saying things to reporters when he is talking to them who in turn are more than willing to put Davy’s words on paper.

Former Tipperary hurling manager Michael ‘Babs’ Keating famously predicted that the 2002 Munster Senior Hurling Final would be over at half time. There was no way he could see his county loose to Waterford. They had won the All-Ireland the year before and they were playing a side that not had won a Munster final since 1963 and an All-Ireland senior hurling final since 1959. In between Waterford’s number of appearances averaged one in every decade or so, appearing in the 1982, 1983, 1989 and 1998 finals between 1963 and 2002 and lost all four.

Tipperary on the other hand, won eleven Munster Hurling Final between 1963 and 2001 and lost in ten finals over the same period.

I have no doubt that ‘Babs’ in 2002 was saying one thing and meaning another. Did he fancy Waterford to win, and spurred them on to win with what he had to say by putting them down, or was he warning his native side of the dangers that Waterford possessed? Either of which, it does not matter right now, but I am sure what ‘Babs’ had to say did have a positive effect on Waterford.

What Davy is saying in the last few days could well be seen in much the same way. Telling the media how much experience Waterford have while putting down his own sides chances telling all who are willing to listen how his side are young and have played in a grade lower than Waterford in the league over the past few years will hardly wash with many.

Clare have made a great start to the year. They recently won the Waterford Crystal Trophy beating Tipperary in the final. While later in the year if someone was asked in a quiz what county won the Waterford Crystal Trophy in 2013 most might struggle to answer the question, the simple fact is that so far, Davy Fitzgerald’s charges are the only side in Munster not to have been beaten since the turn of the year and the longer they can remain unbeaten the more confidence will be built up within the panel and its supporters.

Davy Fitzgerald and the Clare players will on Sunday afternoon respect Waterford. They will see the team as an experienced side, even if the big named players that won a number of All-Ireland finals in recent years are no longer involved.

Davy will know the strengths and weaknesses of many of the players and could well set up a game plan to match these strengths and weaknesses as he sees them.

Like Waterford, Clare may no longer have the big named players they had a few years ago. The Logan’s, Anthony Daly, Jamesie O’Connor, Colin Lynch, Ollie Baker, Ger O’Loughlin, Seanie McMahon and even Davy Fitzgerald may well have hung up their inter county hurling boots, but they have replaced them with a plectra of young players that have come through a number of successful underage hurling teams in the past four or five years, from successful Saint Flannan’s College sides and with Colleges like Limerick Institute of Technology in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Players like Patrick Kelly, Donal O’Donovan, Cian Dillon, Brendan Bulger, Patrick Donnellan, Fergal Lynch, Seadna Morey, Colin Ryan, Tony Kelly, Enda Barrett, Podge Collins, Conor McGrath and Darach Honan are all fine players, having come into the side and established themselves in the last few years and will want to show how good they actually are.

Much has been made of John Mullane’s retirement from Inter county hurling. The De La Salle club man over the past decade and a bit has proven to be a great servant to Waterford hurling and what a pity that he has retired without a Celtic Cross in his medal collection.

The De La Salle club man is not the only big name missing this year. Stephen Molumphy is going to be a massive loss for Waterford. The Ballyduff Upper man may not feature highly in the scoring charts each year but his work rate since coming into the team is something that no body could question. One minute an opposing defender would be forced to pull him down as he bared down on goal rather than to leave him off and leave him have a possible one on one shot a goalkeeper and seconds later he would be after falling back into his own half back line to win the puck out from the free he had won for the side.

Philip Mahony came into the side last year and did well in his first season as a regular in the team but is not involved as of now, and his loss is going to be heavily felt.

With Maurice Shanahan and Shane Walsh also expected to be missing for much if not all of the league with injuries, their absence is also a massive blow to Waterford.

Over the past few years, Waterford have seen big named players call a day to their inter county career. Players like Fergal Hartley, Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan, Dave Bennett, Paul Flynn, Clinton Hennessy, Eoin Murphy have all retired and players have come in and taken their place.

With the absence of John Mullane, Maurice Shanahan, Stephen Molumphy, Philip, Mahony, Eoin Kelly etc. now other players have the chance to come in and to stake a place in the team going into the future. We all know that there is plenty of potential in Waterford. Waterford sides have won three Dr Harty Cups in recent years, and many of these players now are getting the chance to shine on the big stage. The same could be said of players that shone in successful Tony Forristal teams and on recent Minor teams that reached successive Munster Finals.

At the back, Waterford looks very strong. Stephen O’Keeffe is a goalkeeper of repute, and could well be the county’s number one for some time to come. Liam Lawlor has proven to be our best full back since Sean Cullinane retired; Michael Walsh is a player nobody needs telling about.

Kevin Moran last year won his first All-Star, Stephen Daniels, Noel Connors, Darragh and Shane Fives, Jamie Nagle etc. are able to fill other positions from two to seven, and then there is a young lad by the name of Tony Browne who hopefully we will see again this year. His experience to the team is something that is vital. He may not be able for a full seventy minutes of inter county hurling (I would love to be proved wrong) but what a sub he would be to bring on for the last 15 to 20 minutes of a tight game when there may be some pressure on.

In the middle of the field the return to the set up of Shane O’Sullivan is a welcome one and he could well be partnered by Richie Foley, but there is plenty of other options opened to Michael Ryan and his selectors in this position including the De La Salle duo Dean Twomey and Eddie Barrett who very impressive at club level last year.

It is in attack that most fear for Waterford. We no longer have the likes of Shanahan, Flynn, Kelly, McGrath, Mullane etc. to pull a major score out of the bag when most needed.

Some of the players that have come in for them are fine players. Players like Brian O’Halloran, Martin O’Neill, Brian O’Sullivan, Ray Barry, Jake Dillon, Pauric Mahony, Jamie Barron and Gavin O’Brien have all excelled at underage level and at club level in recent years. The question is can they carry this ability to the next level.

I have a gut feeling that they can. However it would be wrong to place too much pressure on them too soon.

Our most experienced forward right now is Seamus Prendergast. On his own for now, the question has to be asked can he guide the players through the early games in the league.

Heading into the opening round of games in this years league, I for one would feel more comfortable if we had more experience in attack. Come championship time the likes of Maurice Shanahan and Shane Walsh should well be back in the team, and when their experience is in the team then Waterford will be a team that most will be looking out for again.

Clare despite what Davy Fitzgerald is telling us all the week are going to go into this weekends game as the favourites. But does Waterford have any chance? Of course they do. Many people love it when Waterford is underdogs.

After loosing their opening three games last year ahead of the game against Galway in Salthill, the most up to date obituary for Waterford hurling was been typed up by most, stored on the PC or Laptop and was all ready for sending to the papers after the game. What happened at that time? Against all the odds, Waterford won the game.

With many completely writing off Waterford’s year before it has started, I for one would not be too surprised to see the team return from Ennis with a brace of points in the bag, but it won’t be easy.