Davy Fitzgerald expecting a huge challenge from Waterford

Davy Fitzgerald grimaces when he hears, once again, the opinion that game one of what has become a series between Clare and Waterford was not the prettiest game of hurling ever played.

The Banner County emerged as winners by the skin of their teeth after an absorbing league final, extra-time and replay against defending champions Waterford. Both games were played at such a heightened intensity it would be unfair to describe Sunday's Munster championship encounter as the teams coming together for real.

There was nothing hollow about the league games and the teams served up absolutely thrilling drama on both occasions. So Fitzgerald feels bound to defend the aesthetics of the fare. “Well, we will clarify these straight away. I don’t agree . . . like was the first game not great because there were no goals? Is that why they say it wasn’t a classic? Like, if you can score from 50, 60, 70, yards out with a man right up your ass and putting pressure on you: that’s a score.

Loose men

“There were no scores between ourselves and Waterford got easily. Do you want loose men scoring goals from 10 yards out? I think it is tactically one of the biggest battles. You are looking every two seconds for the match-ups.”

As an analysis of what is to come on Sunday, it serves as fair warning for the disciples of the disappearing 14-on-14, hold your patch hurling formation. Expect more of the same or stay home. Clare have been at the centre of two distinct leaps, sprinting to a surprise All-Ireland win in 2013 with their free-flowing running style, and now engaging Waterford in a series of games which hints at a new direction for the old game.

“They have this thing where they play a cordon across the middle . . . they are nearly touching hands,” Fitzgerald says of Waterford.

“Pep Guardiola feels that if you win at midfield you win the game. We would probably be the same. Would we naturally set up the way we did for the last two games? No. But when you have so many bodies across the middle, if we were to leave them loose, they would go point, point, point, point. They are a savage team to work a quick pass. So that’s why it is crowded. The middle third is everything.

“You say it’s dog on dog: this is wolf on wolf. You have no choice. You have to react to that. In the other sense, if we break them down they have to react to what we do. We go into a certain way straight away.”

The demands

Fitzgerald isn’t carping. You only have to listen to him for five minutes to appreciate he is genuinely fascinated by the demands Waterford place on other teams. He was keen to headhunt Derek McGrath when he was in charge of Waterford and acknowledges they force other teams to respond to how they set up.

“We have looked at it and we have to set up a certain way at the start. But I am sure they have looked at us for shapes we play and things we do. It is tactical. It is both teams trying to impose their game. If they leave us loose, we will hurt them. If we leave them loose, they will hurt us.”

GAA tradition dictates there must be a fear of over-familiarity. After the league final draw, the prospect of three games within a month was regarded with dread. But the league showpiece has just set the scene for Sunday’s encounter. Even after the replay, there was a sense both teams were still trying to figure each other out. The process of discovery is ongoing.

“I genuinely love it.” Fitzgerald says of the rivalry. “And people say we scraped over last time. Great. Please God there will be 30 or 40,000 there. I love the idea of playing Waterford again. They are a really strong team. They are tactically good. Their lads are hungry.

“It will stand to whatever team wins it. It is going to be wicked intense out there. I think you can expect that kind of atmosphere. There will be two very hard-working teams and not much space to breathe. There will not. You will be watching everything all day.”