Munster SHC/Clare v Tipperary: Ian O'Riordan talks to Limerick captain Ollie Moran who believes Tipperary need to sort out their forward formation

No rivalry in Munster hurling has been quite as intense over the past 12 years as Tipperary and Clare, not just because they've produced so many close and often classic battles, but also because neither team has been able to dominate for more than a few of years.

Sunday's Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick marks their 11th championship meeting since 1993, and so far Clare have five victories to Tipperary's four, with one draw back in 1999. But the edge has always swung back and forth.

Tipperary destroyed Clare in 1993, but then Clare didn't lose again to Tipperary until 2000.

Just when it appeared Tipperary had regained the edge, Clare easily came out on top during their last meeting in 2003. The popular perception now is that Clare are holding that edge, not least of all after their far superior run in this year's National Hurling League.

But perhaps the team best qualified to assess Tipperary's true form is Limerick, who last month pushed them to a Munster quarter-final replay, before losing out in extra time by a single point. That's over 160 minutes of up-close hurling, and according to Limerick captain Ollie Moran, there are several qualities within the Tipperary team that will ensure they give Clare a real test on Sunday.

"It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that their backs were very tight against us," says Moran. "I think the first day we did have an advantage over them because we had small forwards who moved the ball at them at pace, and I think the dry, warm conditions helped us with that.

"The second day, what came against us was their defence in general was a little better, but I feel as well the wetter conditions helped them a lot more than us. We had to resort to more of a slugging match, or more of a dogfight. And then they got the vital scores. But they do still have a number of very strong players who would have proved themselves over the last couple of years. So that bit of experience helped them as well."

There's been talk even within Tipperary they are a hurling team in decline more than transition, but Moran doesn't see it that way. Limerick did have every chance of beating them both days, but he feels what ultimately cost them was their own slight shortcomings in closing out a game, and not a less-able Tipperary.

"I do think there's more left in Tipperary, " he adds. "They probably need to sort out their best forward formation, because they didn't seem to find that against us on either day, especially since they were bringing on and off so many players. They didn't allow their forwards to settle.

"We knew going into that game we were in good shape, and ultimately they just got the vital breaks and we didn't. But regards Sunday I think people aren't giving Tipperary enough credit either. If they do get their forward combination right and attack Clare I think they can ask real questions of them. But they'll have to go all out, throw caution to the wind, just attack Clare and try to run them ragged.

"So I wouldn't say they're in decline. They're definitely going through a transition at the moment, but they probably aren't bringing on any major young players of the calibre of Eoin Kelly. They just need to get one or two vital positions sorted."

Limerick came away from the Tipperary defeat knowing they'd lost out to a solid, capable hurling team, and it has given them plenty of hope. "We were gutted to lose to them, but if we can improve on those performances in the qualifiers we'd be hopeful of making the quarter-final, and that's the short-term target."