Waterford have a few tactical puzzles to solve

There are a few areas that Déise manager Derek McGrath will hope to improve on today for the league final and replay.

His main priority will be the scoring return from placed balls — there would have been no league final replay if Waterford’s conversion rate from frees was better, particularly on day one.

Paraic Mahony is Waterford’s top free-taker with an excellent conversion rate, and even if there is a doubt about his match fitness he is needed for this battle.

Converting frees is not just important for the scoreboard. Knocking them over the bar provides a confidence boost for the team as a whole, particularly for hard-pressed defenders.

The pressure on them is considerably reduced by their forwards taking their scoring opportunities as this allows them to relax and play in a more composed manner, cutting down on the tendency to make mistakes. Clare regularly give away avoidable frees and a drastic reduction in this stat is needed today.

The second area that McGrath will have to improve on is their puck-outs. A good start is vital and Waterford went long in game two with their first five puck-outs: this played into their opponents’ hands.

Clare have small midfielders and isolating them under the ball may prove more profitable; Clare mix up their puck-outs but whether short or long they always seek to put their player in possession.

Winston Churchill’s famous speech in 1940 is commonly referred to as the “we shall fight them on the beaches” speech. The Clare puck-outs are Waterford’s “beaches”.

This is a game where markers will be laid down and the Déise need to disrupt this Clare tactic to succeed. Short puck-outs are used as a tactic to retain possession, and the aim is to recycle the ball into the midfield area.

Conceding a short puck-out to a defender in the full-back line is not really a problem. The opposing manager will always hope that the player in possession will then deliver a long ball, and usually the extra bodies withdrawn into the defence will sweep up any long delivery.

In the league finals Waterford conceded the puck-outs to Clare wing backs and allowed Clare support runners to bring the ball into midfield.

If I was Derek McGrath, I would have Cian Dillon man-marked for all restarts as he is Clare’s main ball carrier out of defence and I would then set up my defensive line on the Clare 45m line, man-marking any Clare defenders or midfielders around this area.

Possession would only be conceded to Clare’s inside backs: they would be allowed to cross the 45 but would be closed down immediately when they reached midfield.

Clare use puck-outs to retain possession. Gone are the days when they were restarts: Banner goalkeeper Patrick Kelly will continue to seek various players as outlets, particularly Conor Cleary at half back or up in the half forward line.

In the opening 15 minutes the last day, Cleary’s two puck-out possessions led directly to scores. Clare will seek to build on this again but will hope to deliver more accurate second-phase ball, particularly to the in-form Conor McGrath, operating tactically out from the corner.

McGrath regularly drops out 60 metres or so from goal and breaks onto passes at pace, running at defenders, popping over points or setting up assists for colleagues.

Clare will attempt to avoid the direct area in front of the Waterford goal for long deliveries as this is patrolled by at least two defenders on all occasions.

Carrying the ball into this area could prove at lot more profitable. McGrath, Podge Collins and particularly Tony Kelly are excellent ball-carriers. Counter-attacking quickly down the middle with a support runner such as David Reidy on the flank, for outlet ball, might be the way to go.

Clare need to get Tony Kelly on the ball as often as possible. He is blessed with great skill, pace and stamina and will dominate the game if allowed.

He drops deep, even into his own half backline, and makes supporting runs off the shoulder of the player in possession.

These good tactical runs are difficult to police and Kelly can be a match winner. Waterford need to man-mark him.

A disciplined defender with pace, stamina and a good head for battle is required. Tadg De Burca might be used in this role with Darragh Fives operating as the sweeper.

Clare’s David Reidy lessened the influence of Waterford’s captain and talisman Kevin Moran in midfield over the course of the two league finals. Moran is the spiritual leader of Waterford.

The individual battles to subdue Moran on one side, and Kelly on the other, will go a long way to deciding this game.

As usual getting the little things correct is important. Tight championship matches can be decided by little mistakes and this has the making of a real Munster championship contest.

The individual battles will be important but the battle of the collective will be crucial.

There will be lots of bodies in defence and midfield.

It will be a war. Not pretty, maybe, but it will be intriguing.