Nicky English: Waterford set to crown infamous year with a famous triumph

Everything is strange about Sunday, the time of year, the absence of crowds and regular All-Ireland hype. Even the final itself is strange. I was one of many at the start of the championship who felt that Limerick were the best team in the country but few – me included – saw Waterford coming.

However it happened, we have the two best teams in the final and I think it’ll be a brilliant contest.

Let’s start, though, with Limerick and set out where they are; Munster champions, league winners this year and last and on a mission to recover the All-Ireland they won in 2018. Add the fact that they beat Waterford in the provincial final just four weeks ago.

The easy answer this weekend is that Limerick are the better team and it appears at all stages that they have this much talked-about ‘extra gear’. If they move up into that gear, they win and I don’t think anyone doubts that they would.

Nicky English: Waterford and Galway's task made harder by third week syndrome

---

Nicky English: Galway and Waterford face battles with fatigue in All-Ireland semis

---

Nicky English: Galway’s lack of ruthlessness tips the scales Tipperary’s way

---

Nicky English: Field has bunched as rivals close in on Limerick

---

But so far, they haven’t found that gear and if you haven’t found it in the 75th minute of an All-Ireland semi-final against Galway or for most of the Munster final, how realistic is it that you’re going to find it two weeks later going into the All-Ireland.

There’s a vulnerability about Limerick that I didn’t expect. Previewing the Munster final, I couldn’t see any way that Waterford were going to win. Limerick, apart from the brief phase after a water break, didn’t find their extra gear but didn’t need it to put away Waterford.

This weekend, given what we have seen in the meantime, I now think there’s a huge chance for Waterford, who have impressed me mightily in the matches since the Munster final.

It won’t be easily done. Dan Morrissey has settled in at full back and had his best game against Galway. Kyle Hayes has been a monster at wing back to go with Diarmaid Byrnes on the other wing. Cian Lynch is down again to start at centre forward with Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey on either side.

That’s such a formidable middle third that it’s hard to go against them but I simply question how much they have left. If Waterford have improved on the Munster final then Limerick have to, as well. To me the All-Ireland semi-final didn’t confirm any improvement on their part.

Galway were on a par with Tipperary, who Limerick beat by nine points and yet they beat Galway by just three. I know there are variations in all of that and it’s a pretty inexact science but does it sound like Limerick are on an upwards swing?

From John Kiely’s perspective I would be worried about the lack of goals. They got three against Tipperary: one was a penalty and one arguably an attempt at a point. They haven’t got one since and although they had chances against Galway, the opportunities weren’t clinically taken. The danger is that they’re so good at close passing and movement that they fall into that template of running off the shoulder through the middle and shooting from anywhere in the middle third. I think they need to be more flexible.

Key question

There were also traces of anxiety in the way they played against Galway, reminiscent of last year against Kilkenny, which ended badly for them. Maybe it’s a semi-final thing and the final will bring the best out of them but my point is that this has to happen. It’s not really optional.

Another issue for me is the bench, which isn’t as strong as in 2018 when it played a significant role in winning the All-Ireland. Shane Dowling’s retired and he got goals in the All-Ireland final and semi-final two years ago.

Will O’Donoghue is now starting and Peter Casey may be depending on how the Aaron Gillane injury resolves itself, as even if he plays it’s hard to believe that he’ll be 100 per cent.

So the key question is: do I expect them to improve? The answer is probably not.

When it comes to Waterford, I can’t shake the impression of them in Páirc Uí Chaoimh when they beat Clare in the All-Ireland quarter-final. You can question Clare’s level but they had a goal threat and put it up to Liam Cahill’s team, who responded really emphatically. Their speed and movement on a good surface said to me that they’re on the way up.

That was why I couldn’t believe the first-half performance – or lack of it – against Kilkenny. It contradicted what I’d seen with my own eyes, which had left me fully expecting them to win. The second half of the semi-final, which was a huge turnaround against Kilkenny, confirmed that.

Typified by Calum Lyons and Stephen Bennett, their style combines the best of recent Waterford teams; they are not as regimented as under Derek McGrath but the cavalier hurling of Justin McCarthy’s era is now less of an individual and more of a collective phenomenon.

Look at the increased work rate of Austin Gleeson and how he pitched in on the team’s behalf as the semi-final progressed. The second half was an incarnation of Donie Nealon’s great phrase, ‘hurling with abandon’.

Waterford will take incredible voltage from beating Kilkenny and will throw the kitchen sink at Limerick. They have goals in them, as they have shown – five in two matches as opposed to none.

They have been high-energy and are skilful and much-improved from the Munster final. Their inside forwards are more threatening. Tadhg de Búrca and Stephen Bennett have been sensational and Dessie Hutchinson will test Seán Finn, one of the best corner backs in the game.

They can’t afford another slow start or the game will be gone but I don’t expect that will happen. They’re in form and on course for a famous end to an infamous year.