by Jackie Cahill

Waterford selector Dan Shanahan has vowed not to engage in a touchline war with members of the Clare bench during next Sunday'sMunster SHC semi-final - unless something "very serious" happens.

Writing in his Monday newspaper column, former Déise star John Mullane believes that Waterford backed down from the sideline challenge in their Allianz League final defeat to Clare earlier this month.

But while former Hurler of the Year Shanahan accepts that things can sometimes get heated outside the whitewash, he insisted that he won't be getting involved in any unnecessary confrontations with Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald or selector Donal Óg Cusack.

In the drawn League final, there was a flashpoint incident involving both camps while Shanahan later claimed that his brother Maurice was heckled by the Clare bench as he stood over a late equalising free.

But Shanahan doesn't foresee any problems when the counties collide at Semple Stadium at the weekend.

Shanahan said: "He (Mullane) is entitled to his statement. Sometimes you agree and sometimes you don't. Is he trying to add fuel to the fire? There'll be nothing on the line. We just want to our team to win, just like Clare. There's no hatred there or anything like that.

"Some people get hot on the line. I don't myself. It takes a bigger man to walk away from things like that.

"It's my job to get the lads right for the Clare game and we're doing the best we can.

"We have nothing against the Clare lads on the line, or anyone for that matter.

"It does get heated at times, that's only natural when you're training for 6-9 months and with the lads for the year.

"Personally, I don't get involved unless it's very serious. If I hear any of my lads getting any sort of abuse, it's my job to stand up for those players.

"But I don't agree with it. I don't think I ever played a dirty stroke playing and I'm not going to do it on the line."

Shanahan revealed that forward Patrick Curran remains a "slight worry" ahead of the weekend, after he was injured playing for Dungarvan in a county SHC clash with Tallow last week.

Curran, 20, sustained hand and hip injuries during the game but he trained on Saturday morning with the Waterford team and Shanahan said: "He did a bit and hopefully he'll be alright for the weekend. He's the only slight worry we have."

And Shanahan is predicting a close encounter of the third kind when the teams lock horns again.

Just a point separated them after 160-plus minutes of hurling over the course of both League finals and Shanahan said: "We were six points up in the replay and didn't push on. Clare caught us in the end and whether there was controversy or not, we still lost the game.

"Decisions were hard made but we were disappointed to lose the game. We would have loved to create history but we moved on straight away.

"It's a different competition now and it's championship. Clare are thinking the same way but to get one over on them would be great.

"Hopefully next Sunday will be a scorcher, real championship hurling and hurling needs a big game. Sunday could be it, please God. I just think it will take a while to get going but it will." 

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