Clare and Tipperary had some immense battles in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the 1990s and 2000s, so in a way it’s fitting these two teams should contest the first inter-county match in the new stadium.

Tipperary come into the game with some good momentum after beating Westmeath and Dublin already in the qualifiers, whereas Clare must bounce back after losing to Cork in the Munster Final two weeks ago.

Tipp have made three changes to the team that hammered Dublin last time out.

Joe O’Dwyer is ruled out by injury and is replaced by Seamus Kennedy at wing-back, but the other two changes are tactical as Daragh Mooney comes in for Darren Gleeson in goals, and Noel McGrath replaces Jason Forde in the half-forward line.

Clare have also made three changes to their team, two of them enforced due to injuries to David McInerney and Aron Shanagher.

Cian Dillon and Aaron Cunningham come in for that duo, while the third change is a tactical one with Jamie Shanahan replacing Oisin O’Brien in defence.

The loss of full-back David McInerney is a particularly cruel blow for Clare. He’s arguably their outstanding defender, and would have been well equipped to man-mark Tipperary’s chief danger-man, Seamus Callanan.

The Drom-Inch man looked to have his mojo back in Tipp’s win over Dublin, scoring 3-4 from play, while his inside-forward colleagues John McGrath and John O’Dwyer hit a combined 2-6 from play.

If Tipperary can get a good supply of ball into that trio again on Saturday, then they’ll be hard to stop.

But Clare will feel their own full-forward line of Conor McGrath, Shane O’Donnell, and Aaron Cunningham is also capable of doing a lot of damage.

The new-look Tipperary full-back line has yet to be really tested, and you can expect Clare to pit Conor McGrath against inexperienced full-back Tomás Hamill and see whether James Barry has the pace to cope with a flier like O’Donnell in the corner.

With both sides boasting so much firepower close to goal, this contest is likely to be decided by whichever side comes out on top in the hooks, blocks, and tackle count in the middle third of the pitch.

Tipperary will hope the physicality of their man-mountain half-back line, Brendan Maher in midfield, and Patrick Maher and Dan McCormack in the half-forward line will edge that battle in their favour.

**Tipperary: **Daragh Mooney; Donal Maher, Tomas Hamill, Barry Kennedy; Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher, Padraic Maher; Brendan Maher, Michael Breen; Noel McGrath, Patrick Maher, Dan McCormack; John ODwyer, Seamus Callanan, John McGrath

Clare: Andrew Fahy; Seadna Morey, Patrick O’Connor, Cian Dillon; David Fitzgerald, Conor Cleary, Jamie Shanahan; Colm Gavin, Tony Kelly; Cathal Malone, Podge Collins, John Conlon; Shane O’Donnell, Aaron Cunningham, Conor McGrath