Jimmy Barry-Murphy (Cork manager)

"Obviously, I have been busy concentrating on our own progress since the championship began but I think Clare and Offaly will come through on Sunday.

Antrim are in that frustrating position of having made good progress through the league but find themselves facing a team who just have so much experience and an invaluable big-game temperament. I do expect Antrim to put it up to them and it won't be as one-sided as people think.

The other match is going to be a very tough game. Galway, as usual, have to come in cold, which is a disadvantage but Mattie Murphy is a manager I know well and have a lot of respect for. He is taking Galway in a definite direction and the county has always produced good hurlers. Clare are carrying injuries and are in new territory for them but they have been an immense force over the years. A magical game is in store and Clare to come through marginally."

Conor Hayes (Former Galway captain)

I can't see any surprise in the Offaly/Antrim game. However, Offaly are a team with a lot of hurling behind them and even though they looked good against Wexford, they are lagging a bit now. I'd imagine they are desperate to hold on to the All-Ireland to prove that last year's sweep was no flash in the pan. I believe they will get past Antrim comfortably enough but they won't get any further. It comes down to experience in this one and that will afford Offaly the space and time to ease away in the final quarter.

Galway will have it tough. Last year, we expected them to come out flying against Waterford but instead they played at an awful pedestrian pace and got hammered. The system is stacked against Galway. In league finals, they seem to be on a par with other teams - take the semi-final between themselves and Kilkenny. Kilkenny are light years away from that now. If Galway are using that league standard as a base for Sunday's game they can forget about it. The formula for beating Clare lies in dictating the space and somehow breaking down their halfback line. Tipperary did it the first day, Cork to a lesser extent. It's no easy task. Galway have no great fear of Clare but the doubt is that they can match this relentless, fanatical intensity Clare employ so well. Clare by a couple of points."

Gerald McCarthy (Waterford manager)

"I don't want to downgrade Antrim's challenge in any way but it is difficult to see anything other than an Offaly win. The fact that Offaly are champions may have led to a little complacency but I feel the opposite will be on show on Sunday, that after playing below par against Kilkenny, they will bite back a little.

The same could be said to be true of Clare. It is becoming commonplace for teams to struggle to find consistency. The difference between Clare over two games against Tipperary was astounding. After their disappointment against Cork, the same may happen again. I am a bit worried that Galway have brought so many older players back. Joe Cooney, for instance, is as fine and accomplished a player as you'd find but it just makes me feel that all is not as well as it could be. But it's a gamble that could just work. I think Mattie Murphy is right in saying it's time for Galway to stand up. They were disappointing against us last year and I know they are so much a better team than that. But it's a potentially great clash on paper and I feel it will be a close game, with Clare edging through."

Geoffrey McGonigle (Derry hurler)

Hard to see Antrim getting by Offaly, much as I'd like to. You can talk about them beating Offaly in the league but Croke Park and the championship is different. Greg O'Kane and Conor Cunning at midfield impressed me in the Ulster final but overall, they don't seem to have the depth to really ask questions of a team of Offaly's calibre. Of course, Offaly are capable of having the occasional off-day and I do believe that Antrim will keep it competitive but ultimately, it will be a useful run out for the All-Ireland champions and they'll have a few points to spare.

Clare looked poor enough against Cork and, of course, are now troubled with injuries to central players. But at least they have games behind them, which, of course, Galway never do at this stage. Galway coming through wouldn't be that much of a shock but Clare have proved their worth in recent years and I think they'll win what will be tight game."

Michael O'Grady (Dublin manager)

The wheel has come full circle for Offaly but they are in a better position than last year. They got a shock against Kilkenny, getting hit by five fine goals. Kilkenny won't do that again this season. John Ryan is a real asset to Offaly and if he gets clicking, the team might be back in business before anyone even realises it. Antrim, of course, beat them in the league and pushed Clare to two points but they face this annually tough proposition of coming into Croke Park cold. Offaly will improve after a lack-lustre semi-final and come through by six or eight points.

One aspect of the championship which has struck me has been the lack of consistency. Only Kilkenny have played steadily from one game to the next. Clare have been illuminating one day, ordinary the next. They are due a big game again.

Galway made changes which surprised me. Joe Cooney, a great player, is back in but has he the stamina now? Clare have the edge at midfield. Joe Rabbitte does bolster the attack but Joe isn't a physical player in the way Brendan Lynskey was for Galway. He wins ball and dishes off. Galway also have to deal with coming in cold to the competition in late July. They really should be advocating a change in the system. Clare are still up there for the All-Ireland. I think they'll win."