Despite the historic nature of tomorrow's Guinness All-Ireland hurling final, it is the rivalry between Clare and Tipperary that has dominated peoples' attention as the big day approaches.

A deal of time has been allocated to pondering the psychological ramifications of the Munster final, to what extent Tipperary now have an unfair advantage from being able to recast a team after defeat by Clare demonstrated where a host of weaknesses lay.

It's hard, however, to argue that losing was a preferable way to emerge from a Munster final. Clare after all showed that they had assembled a very good team and that's a superior feeling to having gone back to the drawing board and hoping that the problems are sorted out.

First, the grounds for believing that Tipperary are not just better but sufficiently better are not beyond dispute. Obvious shortcomings have been addressed and the half-back line looks tighter, centrefield more enterprising and the attack more imposing, but the extent to which they've been tested is questionable.

Down and Wexford were for their own different reasons inadequate tests: Down because they will struggle at this level and Wexford because they played so poorly on the day, as if a year's celebration, two years' training, some ill-timed injuries and the general pressures of being All-Ireland champions all caught up with them on the one afternoon.

Even in the context of the Leinster champions' poor performance, one or two matters arise: if Gary Laffan had scored in the fourth minute and Wexford hadn't had to chase the match, would it have worked out differently; had Wexford not deployed John O'Connor on a rampant John Leahy, would Tipperary have prospered to the same extent; if their point-taking radar hadn't been so comprehensively on the blink?

These are all relevant considerations because it is assumed that Tipperary will have to reproduce some of the elements of approach that beat Wexford.

Maybe it's possible to hit Clare early, but so far it's been the Munster champions who have made the encouraging starts. Clare's defence is steadier than Wexford's was that day and is unlikely to allow the sort of space that Tipp exploited in the semi-final.

Finally, Clare are used to hitting wides without becoming overly agitated and have still recorded remarkably consistent scores, 119, 1-18, 1-17, in the last three matches (the trend of their concessions is, by the way, also down).

Secondly, an argument runs that as Tipperary were only three points adrift at the end of a Munster final dominated by Clare, that with the improvements they have made, bridging that gap is well within their compass.

Ger Loughnane dealt with that argument when pointing out that it would be a mistake to believe that Clare had no room for improvement and that they were not disappointed with aspects of their own performance in the Munster final.

Look for a moment at the Tipperary improvements. In Pairc Ui Chaoimh, their half-back line disintegrated. Colm Bonnar was unwell after being hospitlised that week and his two flankers have been replaced.

They played well as a unit against Wexford, with Bonnar back in form and both Liam Sheedy and Conal Bonnar coping comprehensively with Larry Murphy and Rory McCarthy. Nonetheless Clare are a step up in quality because their half-forwards have been both fast and durable this season.

In addition, it is easy to forget that Clare's levels of wastefulness were particularly pronounced at the stage when their opponents' half backs were in most disarray. Fergie Tuohy blew three excellent chances and would expect to do better tomorrow.

Neither should it be forgotten that potentially as influential as any of Tipp's alterations is the fact that Clare have equipped themselves with a new full forward line. Only Sparrow O'Loughlin survives from the Munster final. Had the corner forwards been better that day, Clare would have been out of sight by half-time.

It might be said that neither Conor Clancy nor Fergal Hegarty are cutting edge forwards, but they will use their strength to create time and space for others who may not be as charitable as Messrs McNamara and Murphy the last day.

Given that reference has been made to Clare's phlegmatic view of wides, it should also be pointed out that against Kilkenny, the wides' total had been halved from the Munster final rate.

If Clare exert total pressure on Tipp's defence - which didn't happen the last day - it will be hard for players to bale out one other. Of the Tipp full-back line only Paul Shelley has been making an unqualified success of life and questions were asked of both Noel Sheehy and Michael Ryan in July.

The Clare forwards are also more versatile than Wexford's. There is talk of Tuohy playing in the corner, while O'Loughlin will presumably be given a run at full forward. Jamesie O'Connor may be the exemplar, but they will all run, score and create at different stages.

Centrefield was a genuine good news story for Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final. Tommy Dunne played with the wit and style that have marked this as a fine year for him while Conor Gleeson gave hard-working support. The only reservation would be that Adrian Fenlon and Larry O'Gorman never raised a gallop. Maybe they weren't let; the energy levels of Ollie Baker and Colin Lynch will cast further light on the matter.

Potential salvation for Tipp lies in the forwards. One of Clare's most obvious strengths this year has been their domination of matches. They go into them as favourites, lead for nearly the entire 70 minutes and win. It would be interesting to see how they respond to having to chase a match.

This would require Tipperary to launch early and productive raids. John Leahy was the instrument of this the last day, but his chief ally was the chaos in Wexford's defence. How many people can see Clare letting Leahy in on the square unmarked?

Declan Ryan played well on Seanie McMahon in Cork, but McMahon - as so often - came back into it and dominated the later stages. Loughnane says he will be happy if McMahon breaks even - which could mean less domination, but also fewer than four points being conceded.

It will be interesting to see what impact Eugene O'Neill can make on Brian Lohan. To an extent this is the position that indicates the scale of Tipp's ambition. Should they be trying to take on Lohan or is the plan just to dress up a sacrificial goat in a number 14 jersey and hope it appeases the full back's terrible wrath?

Declan Ryan looks best equipped to take on Lohan, but is the risk of failure worth the loss of Ryan's enormous influence on the 40?

If there is a chink in the defence it is on the left where both Frank Lohan and Anthony Daly have looked vulnerable to pace, but it's hard to believe that the combination of Liam McGrath and Michael Cleary is going to exploit this. Cleary needs more space than Lohan is likely to allow him create ,whereas Daly will happily horse it out with McGrath. Changes are likely here and their impact will be vital to the outcome.

Beneath all these general trends lurks one simple fact: the resilience of Clare. Arguably their most impressive spell this year was the closing 10 minutes against Kilkenny when they soaked up pressure in a fervid atmosphere after their lead had been cut to four by DJ Carey who was hovering for more.

Their mental strength will protect them against the match taking unexpected turns and see them to a second All-Ireland in three years.