This has been a great summer for hurling and practically every match has been tremendously exciting. There's no reason to doubt why this won't be another.
It's hard to know just how much better the games can get but this one is already a sell-out and we have two teams that always play with great pride and passion. On top of that, both Clare and Kilkenny have each won two All-Irelands this decade and a win here would leave them one stop short of a third. That would conclude any arguments about who has been the team of the decade. On that basis alone both sides have it all to play for.
Whoever is going to win this game will be depending on how certain key players match up with their opponents in a number of vital areas. We all know how good the Kilkenny forwards have been this summer but here they are up against one of the best defences. You look at Sean McMahon on John Power, Brian Lohan on Henry Shefflin and Anthony Daly on DJ Carey and it's clear that so much of the game will hinge of these duels.
What doesn't augur so well for Kilkenny is that they've lost their first-choice corner back, there is a certain doubt about their centre back and they have brought on Peter Barry at left half back for Paddy Mullally. That means there could be three players changed from the last day against Offaly, two possibly enforced and the third a direct change. That would indicate to me that Kilkenny were not happy with their defence the last day and that could spell trouble.
Still, I'm not too surprised to see Philip Larkin get the recall at right corner back. He's a very capable player, tremendously aggressive, and although he is a fraction small I don't think that will matter against Clare because none of their forwards are giants by any means. He will also add a bit more pace at corner back, which Kilkenny will need to have against Clare as all their forwards are mobile and fast. The doubts remain over Eamonn Kennedy at centre back and we won't know until the start what role - if any - he will play. It may be a drawback; but there is a lot of talk about Pat O'Neill coming in there. That could be a gamble since he hasn't played there at all this year.
No such problems with the Kilkenny forwards, however, as they're young, fast and skilful, but so much will depend Power's performance on McMahon. The Kilkenny man is the team's big playmaker in that area and will be under a lot of pressure to create the space they need. Overall, the full-forward line looks very exciting. But I don't think we'll see four or five Kilkenny goals tomorrow by any means. The Clare half-back line are one of the strongest around and naturally enough Kilkenny will try to break it apart. That's why Daly's match with DJ Carey will be so important as well.
We don't know if DJ will stay at right half forward but Daly is sure to have a torrid job in handling him. If Daly stands side by side with him then he could be in trouble but if he stands a little bit back off and doesn't allow him to get past then the Kilkenny forwards could lose a little of their momentum.
It's worth noting as well that Shefflin is still a young player, at 20, and this is his first game at this level. He is fabulous player and can drift out the field to take Brian Lohan with him. But Lohan has been through the mill and will do everything possible to make sure that Shefflin doesn't beat him. That will be one hell of a duel. You have to wonder as well how Peter Barry will cope with Jamesie O'Connor. As each week passes Jamesie's hand gets better and so too does his confidence. We can only go with what the Clare teamsheet says, but the Clare forwards are all so flexible, so we are likely to see some switching around. They've used 10 or 12 forwards already this year and each one has played well.
David Forde, Barry Murphy and Enda Flannery are in the subs, all excellent players, but that's the way Ger Loughnane plays it. He's keeps them all on their toes by bringing them on and off so much and that certainly seems to work.
One of things you have to note about Clare this year has been their lack of determination the first time they meet the opposition. It can't be deliberate but they seem to be missing a certain amount of their will-to-win the first time out. It's only second time around that their attitude seems to come back, and we saw it against Tipperary and again against Galway.
They certainly can't afford to come out starting slow against Kilkenny because if they do they'll be beaten. They'll have to be on fire from the second the ball is thrown in.
After that it will be a very interesting tactical game. The Kilkenny forwards will move onto the ball and use a lot of wrist-work to take their points. Clare usually work that bit harder for their scores, but in the last two games they have scored extremely well, especially with the 2-11 in the second half against Galway. It's their ability to go the distance that has seen them through.
This is Clare's sixth match, yet they still seem to have the momentum, probably because they are winning. Now they're getting closer to the final and their ambition is stronger than ever. Up to now it's been a little bit hit and miss, but their heart and effort will still be there. Whether the legs will be, we'll wait and see.
If this is a game that goes non-stop for 70 minutes then we could see something very similar to last Sunday. A wrong puck of the ball or a bad free could be the winning or losing of the match. Any missed chance at one end could result in the winning score at the other.
If Clare can control the Kilkenny forwards sufficiently then I think they will win. Otherwise, if Kilkenny can run the ball at the opposition and get through the half backs then goals will be scored and that should see them through. Offaly are gone and I don't Clare or Kilkenny will have any great fear of Cork, so expect a tough encounter.
In an interview with Ian O'Riordan
