Matthew McMahon (Clare FM match commentator) - Expectation in the county ahead of next Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final clash with Tipperary at Pairc Ui Chaoimh - "It's quieter than usual - I don't know if it's the league final defeat to Tipperary or just all the success in recent years. There's a fear of getting a skinning - a few people have said that to me - but I don't believe that will happen to a team of this experience. I'd certainly be hopeful, but definitely the talk around the county isn't as wild."
Prevailing view on team selection: "The big worry would be Liam Doyle (pictured right). He has very little done since the league final. He's definitely, genuinely injured. On top of that Sean MacMahon has been out for a while and didn't look up to speed when he came on in the second half of the league final. Whether the couple of tournament games since has got him up to speed remains to be seen. Then there's the question of Anthony Daly and whether he'll be back - most people seem to think he won't. But if Doyle is out as well, the halfback line will be decimated and McMahon might have a new wing back either side of him.
"In the forwards, the question is will they or won't they start Jamesie O'Connor at centre forward. There's definitely one place in the forwards up for grabs. Will they bring in Enda Flannery or PJ O'Connell - he hasn't played at this level for a while but he's a hardy customer - or will they bring in Gearoid Considine? Although I think Considine's best position is at centrefield. All will be revealed on Tuesday night."
How is Cyril Lyons viewed? "To be fair to him, he's in an awful predicament because he's always going to be compared with Ger Loughnane and his successes. He's on a hiding to nothing. Even if he wins next Sunday and then wins Munster, unless he wins the All-Ireland Loughnane's successes will still hang over him. If he goes well some will say it's the team that Ger built and if it goes bad they'll say he wasn't up to following on from Ger. Clare's like everywhere in that your own are always the worst when things go wrong. But Cyril is an honest bloke and popular. He's different than Ger . . . quieter.
"People also have to remember that Tipp are a good side and it won't be his fault if Clare lose. Certainly, if we get the chances we have to take them this time."
With Matthew McMahon at the microphone, Clare FM, on 96.4FM in north Munster, has the match live next Sunday (throw-in 4.20). Tonight, the station's sports editor Peter O'Connell hosts `Talk Sport' while on Friday evening - 6.0-7.0 - O'Connell's sports programme `Saffron and Blue' will concentrate on the match build-up.
