All-Ireland Hurling Championship match predictions and betting tips: The Deise can bounce back to their best against Cork

Best bets

Clare
2pts 15-8 BoyleSports

Clare to win by 1-3 points
1pt 9-2 BoyleSports, Paddy Power

Waterford
3pts 9-4 BoyleSports

Allianz Hurling League predictions

Clare v Limerick

RTE, 2pm Sunday

A huge opening game kicks off the Munster Championship as Clare seek to repeat last year's feat by taking the scalp of Limerick.

They are well placed to do so after claiming league honours in an impressive campaign in which many players stood up and were counted throughout to fill the void left by Tony Kelly and Shane O'Donnell. Both are named on the bench for this weekend's encounter and it's highly likely O'Donnell will start.

Limerick were desperately lacklustre in their last outing against Kilkenny but they will be firing on all cylinders after four weeks of preparation with Kyle Hayes named to start. He will probably be deployed in the half-forward line with Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey but Clare's half-back line look equal to the challenge.

Adam Hogan was a standout player for Clare during their league run and his battle on the edge of the square with Aaron Gillane will be pivotal.

Limerick's half-back line typically hold their line and Clare can reap plenty of rewards with their forceful, direct half-forwards such as Peter Duggan and David Fitzgerald who could drop deep and inflict plenty of damage.

This will be a titanic battle as whoever loses will be put under immediate pressure to claim a win in what is a ferocious Munster championship and this could well go down to the wire with Clare edging it in the end.

Waterford v Cork

4pm Sunday

It's do or die for Waterford but they look poised to banish memories of a poor championship last season and an indifferent league campaign with numerous players returning from injury.

Davy Fitzgerald's tactics have been lampooned since he took up the managerial role with the Deise but he will undoubtedly have been building to a crescendo in the Munster championship.

Tadgh De Burca, Stephen Bennett and Conor Prunty are back from injury and they are huge additions for  Waterford. Cork are capable of racking up high scores and Alan Connolly was in red-hot form during the league but they only beat Waterford by two points earlier in the year when Fitzgerald's men were depleted with injuries.

Waterford can silence some of their critics over the coming weeks now that they have a full complement of players and bookmakers are seriously underestimating their chances.

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