Rarely has a match been as hard to call as tomorrow's Guinness Munster hurling first-round clash of Tipperary and Waterford. This isn't for particularly positive reasons. Waterford know their best team but can't be sure of its form. Tipperary, meanwhile, are trying to fit together random pieces of a jigsaw.
Two years ago, Waterford surprised Tipperary in Pairc Ui Chaoimh with the strength of their comeback from the disappointment of losing the National League final to Cork. Tony Browne was outstanding and laid down a marker for a championship which he finished as the Players' Hurler of the Year. Paul Flynn tormented Michael Ryan - floundering out of position at full back - and Ken McGrath had arguably his most effective championship match.
Big performances from these three are vital to Waterford's prospects tomorrow but each has a question mark over his likely contribution. The least of these is McGrath's positioning at full forward.
After an outstanding league campaign at centre forward, he is moved inside in a switch which seems to based at least partly on an underestimation of Philip Maher, Tipperary's new full back. The belief that McGrath can do damage on the inside isn't unreasonable but if it proves otherwise, the situation can be easily remedied.
Flynn is a law unto himself and can produce exceptional or anonymous performances without much warning. His poor display against Galway in the league doesn't necessarily predicate anything for this match and Tipperary in Cork has already provided him with a couple of career highlights, two years ago and at minor in 1992.
Browne's situation is a different thing altogether. Two years ago he had a great league behind him, even last year he performed miracles on a banjaxed ankle and Waterford would have lost to Limerick without him. But this year, he looks like a player suffering from a lack of confidence.
Tipperary's concerns are more to do with substance than mood. Maher, Mark O'Leary and Paddy O'Brien impressed during the league but all face their first championship outing. Have the league performances been accurate? Seven changes since last year indicate that they weren't a reliable indicator 12 months ago.
John Carroll moves to another position but has yet to start in what many believe is his optimum role of centre back where David Kennedy has established himself. Depending on how Waterford actually line out, Tipperary's half backs can switch but the availability of only one Tommy Dunne means that their attack has been weakened to shore up centrefield. The forwards now possess only one player - Paul Shelly - over whom the charge of too little or too much experience doesn't hang.
Galway are the common thread in both teams' recent performances. Waterford came close enough in the semi-final with negligible input from Browne and Flynn. Tipperary were left with no such consolation. Waterford's concerns are based on form and deployment, Tipperary's on personnel - a less easily remedied problem. It's not much to go on but it's all we have.
