It is not so much a notion as a firm belief in Cork this week that Clare are waiting in the long grass hoping to ambush the 9-2 on favourites in Sunday's Munster senior football championship semi-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Former Cork stalwart Niall Cahalane was involved when a stunning Martin Daly goal in injury time goal frustrated Larry Tompkins' debut as manager at the same stage in 1997. He says his county men must be extremely cautious on Sunday and pay Clare the respect they have earned. "There seems to be very little talk about Clare, their preparation or who they have got and who they haven't got. The element of surprise weighs heavily in Clare's favour, with nothing to lose and all to gain," says Cahalane.

"These matches can be awkward for the favourites, who are usually on a hiding to nothing - if say, Cork win by two points they are no good and if they win by 22 points Clare are no good," says the Cork-based auctioneer. "Complacency has cost us matches like this in the past and it was never any consolation for us to be told if the same match was played again the following Sunday we would run away with it.

"Besides, the days of the no-chance underdog are rapidly coming to an end. There is a levelling off in ability, you have only to look at Limerick against Kerry last Sunday and Westmeath's win over us in the Division Two League final in Croke Park to realise that. Westmeath should have beaten Meath earlier this month in the Leinster championship. Sport is cruel.

"That League defeat by Westmeath was a huge morale crusher for our lads but they seem to have picked up the pieces since and are extremely fit. "Defensively, I feel Clare are relatively strong but I would imagine the Cork forwards will have too much pace for them," he says.

Cahalane would like Cork to have faced a sterner test than Waterford provided in the first round. The highlight that day was Fionan Murray's bicycle-kick goal. The opportunistic Murray will not be inconvenienced by being moved to the left corner of attack but the dropping of captain Colin Corkery "is a serious" loss, Cahalane believes.

"Colin will be a big loss; injuries has had an unsettling affect on him this season and he may have lost out on training with the squad but I feel his absence will cost Cork seven or eight points."

Cahalane believes midfield will have a major bearing on Sunday's result and looks to the adventurous Cork half backs to get good ball through to the attack. "To be honest, it's looking like another showdown for us with Kerry in the Munster final and the prospect of that alone should be a huge incentive for our fellows. The squad will want to reverse that decision of last year but at this stage, Kerry must be favourites to win another All-Ireland."