Paddy Stapleton: Early season blueprint for taking on Limerick

Waterford and Clare have shown how best to take on All-Ireland champions Limerick and in doing so have opened up the hurling championship, according to former Tipperary hurler Paddy Stapleton.

The four-in-a-row chasing Treaty men began the championship as raging favourites to once again lift Liam MacCarthy, but it has been a tricky start for John Kiely's men.

They were unconvincing in seeing off a gallant Waterford challenge on the opening day, where a red card for Gearoid Hegarty and a high challenge from Seamus Flanagan were a couple of major talking points from the two-point victory at Semple Stadium.

Six days later and Clare, hurting from last year’s draw in the grpup stage and an extra-time loss in the provincial decider, came out the right side of a tight tussle with their neighbours, edging past the men in green by the bare minimum.

Throw in a season-ending injury for decorated defender Sean Finn and Cian Lynch’s continued fitness concerns, it’s clear that the chasing pack have more hope than even just a few weeks ago.

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Speaking on The Championship podcast, Stapleton outlined what the Banner and Deise managed to do to stifle Limerick’s strengths in the opening rounds of the Munster championship.

"Limerick are definitely a faster and more physical team than the rest that are out there," he said.

"During the league, I think it was hard for other teams doing their training block to be up to the physical status that Limerick have.

"Waterford started off nervous the first