CLARE...1-16 WATERFORD...1-14: As a prelude to the championship meeting between the two counties in seven weeks time, yesterday's weigh-in at Cusack Park was good value. Clare were worth their narrow win and Waterford had the consolation of joining them in qualifying for the second phase of the league.

There was an edge to this match throughout and the result hung in the balance until the finish but it was too broken and strewn with bad wides to be considered truly good. Rather, it was an intriguing early-season match, with both teams getting a flavour of what they can expect when they meet for the Munster championship."May 16th has been etched in our brains since the draw was made," said Clare coach Anthony Daly afterwards.

"As I heard a Waterford player say coming down the tunnel, 'it's only league, like'."

Yesterday was another bright step in Daly's assured early sojourn in management. He has been giving players an opportunity to break into a team that success and loyalty had virtually locked down and is getting returns for that faith.

Yesterday, he had to deal with the absence of Colin Lynch, who had been revelling in the possibilities of playing at centre-half forward. The consequences of trading without Lynch's tidy and clinical contributions were evident, particularly as Clare struck 10 first-half wides, half of those within the range that Lynch has been lethal from this season.

The wayward shooting meant that after going 0-5 to 0-1 points ahead after just 11 minutes, Clare ended up level with Waterford at the break at 0-7 each.

But it was not so much the scoreboard that perturbed Daly - who admitted to letting fly in the dressing room - as the general approach to the game.

"We just weren't happy with the attitude - we could feel it coming the whole game and we tried to address it beforehand. It was just the body language was not right - they were after two savage games in the last few weeks and we just felt they lacked a little bit. There was a few home truths in there and in fairness, they responded well, I was pleased with the second half."

Justin McCarthy professed the same. The rhythm of the game did not suit his players, who could only ease into their fluid and compelling style for small, broken periods.

Twice, they responded to strong periods of Clare pressure, outscoring the home team by 0-5 to 0-1 over the last 15 minutes of the first half and levelling the game at 1-12 apiece after 58 minutes having trailed by 1-10 to 0-7 after 44 minutes.

That was the smoothest period of the game. Niall Gilligan broke the game open with a wonderful solo goal on 44 minutes but Paul Flynn responded with a great strike of his own. The wiry and busy John Mullane began to fizz immediately after that goal, roving infield and striking two gorgeous consecutive points that levelled the scores.

Clare nosed ahead through pointed frees from Gilligan and Daly was rewarded with clinching scores from substitutes Daithi O'Connell and SeáMoloney.

Clare were also heartened by the return of Brian Lohan at half-time. Wintering through a long injury, the fullback in residence came in and although the flight of a couple of early balls deceived him, it took him all of 10 minutes to re-establish The Presence. Around him the defence grew in stature and although David Hoey and later Seánie McMahon retired with injuries, they hurled strongly, with Gerry O'Grady and Gerry Quinn bossing the left flank.

Though Ollie Baker was out-sprinted to a couple of 50/50 balls, he exemplified the effort that Daly demanded and pitched in with a valuable point 15 minutes from the end. It was notable that Frank Lohan, shadowed by Tom Feeney, did not get his by now standard goal but he did pose problems.

For Waterford, Tony Browne's anchoring of centre-half back was quiet and solid and effective, with David O'Brien and Eoin Murphy strong and composed on either side of him. Still, it is strange to see Browne hurling with such sombre restraint.

Andy Moloney was in and out of the game at centre-half forward and although midfield broke more or less even, the combination of Michael Walsh and David Bennett may be too light to be considered for keeps.

Both managers laughed somewhat queasily when it was pointed out that they might yet get to know each other better come the league final, not to mention that date in May.

CLARE: G O'Connell; B O'Connell, R O'Looney, G O'Grady; D Hoey, S McMahon (0-2, one free), G Quinn; O Baker (0-1), D McMahon; T Griffin (0-1), A Markham (0-1), A Quinn (0-2, one free), N Gilligan (1-5, four frees), F Lohan, D Forde (0-1). Subs: B Lohan for R O'Looney; C Forde for D Hoey (inj); D O'Connell (0-2) for A Quinn (all half-time); C Plunkett for S McMahon (43 mins, inj); S Maloney (0-1) for D Forde (63).

WATERFORD: S Brenner; T Feeney, D Prendergast, J Murray; D O'Brien, T Browne, E Murphy; M Walsh (0-1), D Bennett; E McGrath, A Maloney (0-1), D Shanahan (0-1); S Ryan, P Flynn (1-7, six frees); J Mullane (0-3). Subs: J Kennedy (0-1) for S Ryan (14 mins); S Prendergast for E McGrath (49); P O'Brien for D Shanahan (65).

Referee: D Kirwin (Cork).