Waterford and Clare do battle in National Football League opener.

Clare and Waterford start their National Football League campaigns this coming Sunday with a clash between the two, weather permitting at Miltown Malbay.

When the sides clashed at the Ennis venue twelve months ago, it was the home side that emerged winners and under the guidance of the legendary Mick O’Dwyer, they would ask nothing more than to secure an opening round victory in this year’s campaign.

Both sides in the last couple of years have performed satisfactory but they both will know that they are capable of even better and to prove that they are now as lowly ranked in the Gaelic Football World as some would suggest.

A win for either side would be a case of “Tuas maith leath na hoibre” in attempting to achieve their hopes for the year ahead.

In recent years, Clare have come very close to achieving promotion from the bottom tier of the National League ladder.

In 2010, they travelled to Fraher Field to play Waterford in the final round of games and in front of over 2,000 patrons the two sides fought it out to see which of the two would win promotion for the year ahead. On that occasion it was the home side that came out on top.

Last year Clare Michaél McDermott’s charges had another away game in the final round of games, this time against Wicklow in Aughrim and only needed a draw to secure promotion but they were to once again miss out.

Waterford in recent years have shown a major improvement when it comes to Gaelic Football.

Under the guidance of John Kiely, the team narrowly missed out on promotion on a number of occasions.

In John Owen’s first season in charge, promotion was achieved against Clare at Fraher Field in 20010. Waterford lost the league final at Croke Park against Limerick and in Division three the following year while giving a good account of themselves, some heart breaking results saw Waterford relegated at the end of the campaign.

In 2012 Waterford again played well, but some results went against Waterford towards the end of the campaign which saw Waterford ruled out of contention before the final round of games came around.

Since Mick O’Dwyer arrived in the Banner County, they have undergone an extensive training programme, and have played a considerable amount of games (mostly in house) in a bid to be ready for this year’s National Football League Campaign.

They have brought their senior team together with their under 21 panel and the selectors have views over 50 players in a bid to get the best possible panel together for the league.

Clare are expected to name their starting fifteen this evening after a training session. They are expected to name a team in similar lines to the ones that recorded a comprehensive victory in the McGrath Cup opening round of games against LIT recently and to the one that lost in the subsequent round of games against Limerick by three points after extra time despite holding a five point lead with just minutes left in normal time.

This will mean that players like Podge McMahon, Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor, Alan Clohessy, Shane McGrath, Martin McMahon, Joe Hayes, Enda Coughlan, Gordon Kelly and the Banner men’s jewel in the crown David Tubridy could all feature.

Waterford last night named their team for this game. Gary Hurney who captains the side once more again this year misses the game due to a suspension picked up last year, but news Waterford manager Niall Carew is still able to field what looks to be a very strong side.

Waterford played UL and Tipperary in the McGrath Cup recently and the side sent out in both games gave a very good account of themselves.

Both games went to extra time which could stand to the side this weekend and it will have helped them to improve their fitness.

Against Tipperary in the McGrath Cup semi final, both Shane Briggs and Tommy Prendergast both picked up injuries which saw them retire early in the game but fears that they could miss this game have not proven to be true.

It is envisaged that the fifteen players selected by Niall Carew and his fellow selectors could well start against Clare this weekend, but the likely hood is that there could be a number of positional changes to the fifteen named to start.

Ballinacourty’s Stephen Enright will start between the posts. Conor Phelan, Stephen Prendergast and John Hurney have been named in the full back line but may not start in the positions named.

The named half back line of Paul Whyte, Shane Briggs and Tony Grey is almost certain not to start in that way, but there could be no changes with the centre field pairing of Shane Ahearne and Tommy Prendergast who with their height and ability to win a dropping ball will cause teams lots of trouble in this year’s campaign.

The named half back line of Conor McGrath, Patrick Hurney and Maurice O’Gorman could well see some surgery performed upon it before the game, while in the inside forward line Darren Guiry, Robert Ahearne and Liam Ó Lionáin will cause trouble but may not start as selected.

Waterford could well employ some defensive tactics this year which may not always look the best but when they work could prove effective.

The game against Clare will not be easy and any result against them will be hard fought. With some equally tough battles in store in the coming weeks, it is vital that Waterford make the return journey home on Sunday evening sitting in the top half of the league table.