Michael Duignan: Heat is on for inconsistent Cork as Munster race ...

The Munster championship certainly started with a bang last weekend. What a huge win for Waterford. I’d say I’ve had more run-ins with manager Davy Fitzgerald over the last 30 years than anyone else, lots of clashes.

He played in the All-Ireland minor final in 1989 when Offaly beat Clare. That was an Offaly team that featured Brian Whelahan and the lads. He quickly graduated to the senior squad and then after such a colourful playing career, straight into management, and he remains one of the biggest personalities in the game.

Whether with Clare or Wexford or Waterford or whoever, Davy always makes a big impression. He has that tendency to draw headlines, for a lot of the success he generates, for a lot of personal clashes he engages in, for the fair bit of whinging that he makes. But you have to say he has brought great personality to it all.

Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

There was a negative fall-out when he suggested that myself and Henry Shefflin shouldn’t be pundits on The Sunday Game because we hadn’t managed at the highest level but that’s water under the bridge now. And I have to say he deserved his moment at the final whistle at Walsh Park last Sunday when Waterford stunned Cork.

Waterford have serious players. Have had, for a long time now. But it’s fair to say they were completely written off going in against Cork. And I didn’t give them much of a chance after their league campaign.

Iarlaith Daly is a fabulous hurler and was out for so long; so too Conor Prunty who is such an important player at full-back. You also had the likes of Tadhg de Burca and Jamie Barron out injured, not to mention Austin Gleeson taking a break.

Then you look at some of the other talent – Calum Lyons is so dynamic and Mark Fitzgerald was one of the top players during the spring. So to get them all back for the Cork game was critical.

No more than Davy being around since 1989, I’ve been around since before that. And I’ve consistently said that Waterford needed to simplify things.

Yet Davy had an inside finisher like Dessie Hutchinson going around nearly in the full-back line last year; we also witnessed that awful game of ping-pong with Wexford years ago.

Waterford’s Dessie Hutchinson in action against Cork’s Padraig Power. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

The players wanted to change the approach after the league campaign – credit to him that he took it all on board. He still made some other big calls – Dessie Hutchinson taking frees. He doesn’t even do it for his club Ballygunner. And Dessie hit nine frees, plus one from play.

As for Cork? You have to wonder what is wrong. Six changes to the starting 15 for today’s game against Clare smacks of desperation. I’ve talked in the past about their need to nail down the three and six positions. And their defence. Yet now Damien Cahalane is dropped from three – it’s actually two thirds of their fullback line that is changed. Plus two of their half-forward line.

If you thought this was your team seven days ago for championship, you don’t drop six players. Mark Coleman is another gone after his first match back against Waterford.

Pat Ryan has had nine months planning for this year’s championship. You had your league campaign to settle on a starting 15 – and then you make all these changes after a week? After being beaten by just three points in a high-scoring game, one where they had a man sent off and another black carded? The shake-up sounds like there is a bit of anger to it. And maybe it will give Cork the kick they need. But you don’t know how this selection will click together.

Cork hurling manager Pat Ryan. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Look at some of the teams going away on a training camp. The Antrim footballers were taking a bit of flak for heading off. I don’t want to sound like it should be just for top table but when I heard the Cork hurlers went to Kerry, to Dingle, I thought it was strange.

Why in God’s name would you go and spend what, 30 grand on a camp, in a neighbouring county? Why not use somewhere in Cork like Fota Island?

There is huge pressure on Cork. Clare are coming into this in a much different place, even though they lost to Limerick in Ennis. I was there, doing the RTÉ commentary. Limerick were poor, but a lot of that was down to the pressure Clare put on.

I suggested Limerick needed new blood in terms of their starting selection and the dynamic changed once the likes of Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Conor Boylan and Adam English came on.

In that final quarter, some big players really stood up. Barry Nash and Kyle Hayes had barely touched the ball up to that point while Cian Lynch went up a gear. Aaron Gillane was quiet but he still perhaps got a touch for the first goal and was there for the rebound for the second.

Clare were nine up and cruising, Tony Kelly comes on – and then they are hit with the perfect storm. While they were generally very solid, David Fitzgerald was very quiet by his standards. I expect a big game from him against Cork. Shane O’Donnell was exceptional. He just bamboozled Limerick.

Peter Duggan caught three balls in the first half – two over Diarmaid Byrnes and one over Kyle Hayes. Then Byrnes tied up his other hand – the one he was switching to catch the ball. It was very clever. All of these things feed into the bigger picture.

Down in Cork, I’d be thinking there is a huge performance due from the home side. But I don’t trust them anymore. I know the Cork public don’t think I give them the respect they deserve but they go out one day and play savage hurling, and the next don’t.

I think Clare are operating at a higher level and can win.

I like the Tipp selection for their game against Limerick, there is a bit of bravery in it. A few lads have been given their head. Liam Cahill has been involved in underage teams, he knows every young player in the county. We have seen Tipperary play very well against Limerick but just not able to sustain it for the full 70. The way Limerick improved in the last 15 minutes against Clare, I think they’ll hit the ground running.