Dan Shanahan points out that Waterford's hurlers "have gotten stronger since last year".

Young sides often have to concede second best in the physicality stakes but selector Shanahan feels that Na Deise will be no pushovers in 2016. On Sunday, Derek McGrath's men bid to retain the national hurling league title. After that, the real serious stuff starts.

"If you've noticed, and most people have, our lads have gotten stronger since last year even," Shanahan is quoted in The Irish Independent. "The younger lads have physically gotten stronger than last year and that's down to the physical training and they have their plans for two years. We're a bit behind other teams at the moment but the lads are working hard with their gym programmes and on the field."

Intriguingly, opposition this weekend and again in the Munster SHC on June 5th will be provided by Clare:

"We'll take Sunday first and whatever the result, the lads will go back to their clubs for a couple of weeks and we get them again for three or four weeks before the championship.

"We can work on and concentrate on that game then but we aren't looking past Sunday. Our game is Sunday and we don't care about the championship game, it's another month and a half away, the only game in our heads is Sunday."

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