The key match-ups in Limerick's vital Munster SHC clash with Waterford

THIS Sunday provincial and All-Ireland champions Limerick take on Waterford a in the final round of the Munster senior hurling championship round-robin series at the TUS Gaelic Grounds at 4pm.

A win or a draw for Limerick will see them advance to the Munster final. However, a defeat for the Shannonsiders against Waterford and a Clare victory over Tipperary in Thurles would see Limerick exit the championship.

A draw in both games or a Tipperary victory will still be enough for Limerick to advance into the next stage of the championship. Overall, it's pretty simple for Limerick win and their into the Munster decider.

Leader Sport's Paul Shaughnessy looks at six crucial match-ups in Sunday’s big game at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Tom Morrissey vs Calum Lyons
In the last two games, Tom Morrissey has popped up with five points from wing forward and is beginning to rediscover his form of last year. 

Ahane clubman Morrissey will look to put Calum Lyons on the back foot and stop the Waterford defender from going forward. Lyons has been central for Waterford in the Munster senior hurling championship landing six points from long range in the Munster Championship. 

Cian Lynch vs Tadhg De Burca
TADHG De Burca is central to everything good about this Waterford side. Over the last few years De Burca has excelled in the sweeper role.

Cian Lynch will give the Déise man plenty to think about. Lynch will drop deep into the pockets to get on the ball so the question is will De Burca follow him or will he sit back? If he follows him, that will leave a big hole in the Waterford defence and give more space for this Limerick forward unit.

William O’Donoghue vs Jamie Barron
Limerick will be looking to the middle third a ‘war zone’ and use their physicality in that sector to overpower Waterford. One man who will be central to that is William O’Donoghue and the Na Piarsaigh clubman's job will be to go after Jamie Barron.

Limerick won’t want Barron to start driving forward and linking the play in attack.

Declan Hannon vs Michael Kiely
No doubt, Michael Kiely will move between the half-forward line and the full-forward line. Waterford will be looking to Kiely as an outlet on their own puckout.

Limerick captain Declan Hannon will look to win or break the ball on the Deise puckouts and give the Shannonsiders the platform to drive forward.

Barry Nash vs Dessie Hutchinson
Arguably the most important match-up for Limerick is the one with Waterford attacker Dessie Hutchinson.

Hutchinson will look to drift into space and take on his man at any chance he gets with his blistering pace.

Barry Nash has been one of Limerick’s stand-out defenders in the Munster senior hurling championship and the South Liberties man held Patrick Horgan to one point from play and he will be looking for something similar with Waterford dangerman Hutchinson.

Mike Casey vs Kevin Mahony
Sean Finn picked up a serious hamstring injury against Cork and Finn looks up against it to be fit for this weekend's clash against Waterford.

John Kiely spoke after the Cork and said Mike Casey was making progress on his return from his hamstring injury. If Finn is ruled out of Sunday's big game, you would expect Mike Casey to come back into the starting XV.

The Na Piarsaigh defender will bring a ferocious intensity to the Limerick full-back line.

Kevin Mahony looked very sharp in Waterford's narrow defeat to Clare in Cusack Park, Ennis last weekend where the Ballygunner clubman registered four points from play and it's likely that John Kiely will give Mike Casey the task of man-marking Kevin Mahony on Sunday afternoon.