The scene was the 2008 Munster hurling final and just over 55 minutes had elapsed. Jonathan Clancy had landed a point to leave the score at 1-16 to 0-14. Michael McNamara’s Clare had scored 0-7 on the trot while Tipperary were dead and hadn’t scored for 15 minutes. The game was in the melting pot and Clare had all the momentum. Then came the moment that changed everything. John O’Brien of Tipperary won a puck out cleanly, soloed through and drove the ball to the net. Game Over. The overhead defending from Gary O’Connell was naïve but O’Brien should have been buried on the way through.

Despite almost beating Cork in the All Ireland quarter final at Thurles, that defeat signalled the birth of a downturn for Clare. Frank Lohan retired in 2008, Colin Lynch followed him midway through last year’s league and despite rattling Tipperary in the championship last year, Clare ended the 2009 season in Limerick-like turmoil. Tipperary, on the other, hand began a steep ascent on an upward slope and almost claimed the McCarthy Cup last September. Many ponder on that one John O’Brien moment. It’s a game of inches.

Mike Mac must stay awake at night wondering how a slice of the Ollie Baker 1995 line ball luck could have helped him against Tipperary in 2008 and 2009. But that said, Tipperary had a conveyor belt of talent coming a couple of years ahead of Clare so they were best equipped to push on from that moment. Clare, on the other hand, are bringing them through now and that’s the challenge that faces Sparrow. They are facing upwards rather than downwards at this juncture. He could have done with a bit of Ollie Baker’s luck yesterday but regardless of how they do in the qualifiers, nobody will want to meet them in Munster in 2011.

The statistic that Clare have only won three games in Munster hurling since 1999 is very misleading, in that a puck of the ball would have served them well in many of those years, not to mention coming good in Croke Park on occasions. Waterford need no introduction for their exploits this past decade. They have been there, bought the T-shirt as far as the Munster championship is concerned. That is what pulled them through yesterday.

Sometimes the experienced teams get the breaks. Without taking away from how Waterford ground out the victory, it’s very difficult for an opposition manager to legislate for a freak occurrence like Declan Prendergast coming off the bench to score 0-3 from play. His brother Seamus and Ken McGrath did nothing unexpected but the beauty of the game of hurling is to expect the unexpected. Declan Prendergast provided that. As correctly pointed out by Ger Loughnane, Prendergast did a massive job for Waterford at wing back last year, and it is unquestionably his best position. However, he is almost certain to spend some time in the No.3 position before this year is out as they aim to plug leaks. The Waterford full back line did nothing yesterday to suggest that they are any closer to resolving what has been a problem position for them. It will be a problem and given that the Brick Walsh played some time there in a recent challenge, he might be seen as the answer as the stiffer tests come down the line.

Clare, on the other hand, face an interesting qualifier campaign. First up will be a game - barring any Leinster Championship upsets - against Offaly or Dublin. A game against either of them is anybody’s game and regardless of the draw, no team will fear the other, and teams will quietly fancy themselves. After that, it’s a game against the teams who pull through from the first round losers e.g. the winners of Laois/Carlow/Antrim or perhaps a spicier game against the winners of Tipperary/Wexford.

Waterford, meanwhile, progress to the Munster final, safe in the knowledge that their starting 15 are good enough to start the Munster final (with the possible exception of Liam Lawlor). If Cork progress, as they should, Aisaki is a player that they will need to be mindful of. Aidan Kearney did a massive job against Joe Canning last year, and might be the man for this particular game (though not every game). Clare, on the other hand, appear to have unearthed a fine full back in Cian Dillon, and an equally fine corner back in Conor Cooney and, in fairness, when John Mullane is held to 0-3 these days, it can be considered a good day for a corner back. Not only that, they have Gerry O’Grady, Gerry Quinn and James McInerney in their cavalry. Not bad defensive options.

Overall Sparrow must be content that he is building nicely. We are all aware of the old adage about the three-year cycle for any team - a year coming, a year at the top and a year going. Very often it’s in the third year that a team are at their best, and they win trophies on the way down. Time is on Clare’s side. Last year, Offaly won the Division 2 league, and it was said that Wexford were in the better position having lost the league final yet they beat Offaly in the championship, who subsequently exited to Cork in the qualifiers. This year the roles are reversed for Wexford. League champions, out of the Leinster championship, and a nightmare draw against Tipperary in the qualifiers.

Yet again fortune has smiled on the beaten Division 2 league finalists.