GAELIC GAMES: Gavin Cummiskey talks to Clare captain Seánie McMahon who believes his side are coming good ahead of Sunday's clash with Wexford

Those lingering after the Leinster football final last Sunday got to witness Seánie McMahon powering over 65s in his own incomparable style. Considering the new surface and in keeping with the professional preparation of intercounty teams it was hardly surprising to see hurling quarter-finalists training in Croke Park prior to the real deal.

Waterford were there on Saturday, Tipperary made the trip on Monday. No big deal then but a surreal moment nonetheless considering everyone else was still high from the drama of Laois and Dublin. The sight of McMahon, Niall Gilligan and the Lohan brothers practising as dusk descended was a reminder of what was coming next.

We are in the eye of the championship storm now. The stakes are higher. Whoever comes out of the Clare and Wexford tussle will have saved their summer. The losers will feel yet another year passing them by.

There are several types of Clare teams. It's always the same names but depending on the mood, the performance is widely contrasting. Against Kilkenny in the league semi-final they were all passengers. Against Dublin last month, they were men handing out lessons to boys, the physicality of Tony Griffin evident for all to see. In the driving rain of Portlaoise, they struggled past Offaly.

Then, lo and behold, they beat Waterford to dodge Cork until the semi-finals. As Anthony Daly said afterwards, they needed a big scalp to prove to themselves, more than anyone else, they could still beat anyone on their day.

"It was very important because we hadn't played well up to then," said McMahon. "We had just scraped through in a few games and hadn't performed in the Munster championship. We needed a good performance, a good win under our belt to give us a bit of confidence."

Had the motivation in beating Waterford been to ensure they were playing the beaten Leinster finalists over the kings of Munster?

"It hadn't been really, no. We'd seen the way Tipp and Wexford performed against Cork and Kilkenny. Both easily could have won the provincial finals so we certainly weren't looking at it as an easier game if we beat Waterford. It was more for our own confidence and to put up a performance of substance.

"I wasn't surprised by Wexford against Kilkenny. They have clearly been planning to peak for the championship and they so nearly got it right. We are under no illusions that they have some very good players. They have been to the semi-final for the last few years.

"They really shot out of the blocks against Kilkenny and went six or seven points up at one stage. Kilkenny had no answer to them. If we let them do that we won't be able to stop them so we'll have to match them early to give ourselves a chance."

Win, and talk of the halcyon days begins again. Lose, and the epitaphs will be written. Again. It is a difficult result to call because nobody really knows what performance will be produced on either side. Which Clare team will we see next?

"It's been a failing of ours that we haven't been putting consistent performances together. It's something we have been trying to rectify and it is hard to put your finger on why we don't. We've learned from mistakes and put them right but again you don't know until the day. We'd like to think we are getting it right."

So last Sunday as delirious Dubliners laughed their way up Jones's Road, the Clare hurlers shuffled out from under the Cusack Stand for a dress-rehearsal.

"I suppose for teams that aren't getting up there regularly for provincial matches it's good to get a session in before they play. It was light enough, more to get a feel of the place. There is no huge difference except for the surroundings."

In two days' time, McMahon will be back. As the stadium noise decibels build he will be called to strike a free from one of those far-flung positions he hit from on that quiet evening last week. He will have the same stance, the same approach and probably the same result as well.