Banner headliners keep Déise focused
And rightly so.
“They have four seriously fast forwards in Conor McGrath, Colin Ryan, Seán Collins and either Caimin Morey or Aaron Cunningham,” says Lawlor. “But then they have two big ball-winners in John Conlan andFergal Ryan, two very powerful men. I had the pleasure of marking Fergal on my championship debut and he’s a right handful, a good ball-player and a good hurler.
“They’re flying, they’ve won a lot of games this year and their forwards have caused a lot of problems. They won promotion in the league, beat Limerick in the final, and if you look at how Limerick did against Tipperary in the championship, how Clare did against Kilkenny in the leaguesemi-final, their form line holds up.”
It’s not just the forwards either that Waterford must worry about insists Moran.
“The whole team is buying into what Davy (Fitzgerald, manager) wants and it’s working for them. They’re flying and we know all about their movement and their running style. We’ll see how we deal with it but it’s up to us to try and stop them by whatever means possible. A one-point win in a low-scoring game after 70 minutes will do! Clare are an up-and-coming team, getting better all the time. It’s a challenging game for us and it is going to be close.”
Making things even more difficult for Waterford, Clare are now managed by the aforementioned Fitzgerald, the man how managed Waterford for the last four years.
“He knows all about us, there is no point arguing otherwise,” admits Moran. “There’s nothing we can do about that only go out and try to beat our own man, win our own battles, hope it’s reflected on the scoreboard.
“Kilkenny do that, every man fighting to win his own position; their forwards work like backs, their backs close down the space. They have the skills too but it’s all down to workrate and everyone working hard. Kilkenny’s workrate is phenomenal and that’s what every team in Ireland is trying to emulate. Davy will have Clare fired up and working hard, we just have to make sure we match them in all areas, then see where the chips fall.”
A possible Clare target on the Waterford defence is 22-year championship veteran Tony Browne.
Lawlor has a word of warning for anyone expecting to find a weak link in Browne’s territory.
“Tony is a sensation – he comes back every January the fittest man around, really minds himself. He just lives hurling and is a living hurling legend. “When I was growing up he was my hero, now here I am playing with him and I’m 27 next week! “Sure there are lads on the panel who weren’t even born when Tony started playing! The longevity is unbelievable, I don’t know how he does it.”
Back wearing the captain’s armband is Brick Walsh, back too (hopefully, though the team hasn’t yet been announced) in his best position of centre-back where he has won two of his three All Star awards.
For Brick though this Clare side isn’t just reliant on pace.
“They’ve very good hurlers but also are very strong and well-built. They are a fast young team, they’ll be well prepared and well drilled, that’s what we’re expecting. They’re favourites for this game and rightly so. We had a patchy league even if it was Division 1A, where Clare were unbeaten in Division 1B and won promotion. They were in the game against Kilkenny for long periods – I know people might say Kilkenny were understrength and didn’t play particularly well, but they weren’t allowed play well. Every time we meet them it’s tough and this will be no different.
“Forget the Davy factor, forget everything else; 30 players will take the pitch and what happens then between the lines is the be-all and end-all.
“This is a knockout game as far as the Munster championship is concerned – lose and you’re gone from the province, win and you’re in the final.
“You want to be playing the big games in the big venues and the Munster final is a huge prize.
“Clare and Waterford, whoever comes out on top will be no bad team in that final.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
