Derek McGrath keeps it cordial but Waterford plan shock

Derek McGrath knows how this works. He says potato, Davy Fitzgerald says potahto. Dan Shanahan says tomato. Dónal Óg Cusack say tomahto. Thankfully, Waterford and Clare have not decided to call the whole thing off. Neither would they, as they attempt to kill the other with kindness.

Being in the same position he found himself 12 months ago facing a team in Munster just weeks after a league final and winning on both occasions, McGrath insists Waterford will be holding nothing back this Sunday. Clare are far less tactically naive than Cork were at this stage last season but he can vouch shadow-boxing will be kept to a minimum on his side.

“I’m conscious of psychological mind games in the run-in to the match where each team management builds the others up as favourites,” he says. “To me, there is a gap there between the development phases of the teams if you’d like. Clare have been there and done it; we haven’t. Clare are now where we would like to be in a few years.”