Limerick's current side remind me of Clare in 1997, says Jamesie O'Connor

It was a massive breakthrough when Clare won the All-Ireland title in 1995, but there was massive disappointment when we failed to back it up the following year.

Ciarán Carey's epic point dumped us out of the championship, and we felt it was one that got away.

But we were hugely driven to get back to the top. We met up as a group in September 1996. Ger Loughnane laid it all on the line: the first All-Ireland was nearly worthless if we didn't back it up and win a second.

Collectively, we were hell-bent on winning a second. And that came to pass in 1997.

I see a lot of similarities in this Limerick team. They probably feel they were the best team in the country last year. They hammered Tipperary in the Munster final, but it was the Premier who won the All-Ireland. I'm sure they were devastated leaving Croke Park last year in the wake of the Kilkenny defeat.

But similar to us in 1997, I see that drive, resolve and hunger from Limerick this year to set the record straight and win a second title. The window to win All-Ireland titles can be narrower than you think. Players can pick up injuries, they can lose form, and the window can close quickly.

Muted build-up

Both managers will think these unusual circumstances are ideal to prepare their teams for an All-Ireland.

The players can focus on the game. They are not meeting as many people in their day-to-day lives, who want to talk about the upcoming final.

They don't need to worry about the post-match banquet, or sorting family and friends with tickets.

That was always a distraction.

I used to have uncles coming from America for the match. I would have family members and work colleagues and friends. I was trying to look after them.

And then you worried about the quality of tickets - you wanted for those closest to you sitting in the best seats!

Pat Fitzgerald and Ger Loughnane were brilliant in that regard - ticket allocations were generous compared to what we might have heard from other counties.

But there are no such worries in 2020. The Limerick and Waterford players only need to focus on the 70 minutes of hurling.

In the Munster final, Waterford were level heading into the last quarter. Limerick had put Clare and Tipperary to the sword by the second water break, but were in a real battle in the provincial decider.

Waterford don't need to do a whole lot differently, other than being more economical. In order to win, they will need to score goals. And the Treaty have coughed up very few goal chances.

Nobody has been able to ask questions of Nicky Quaid.

The Suir-siders will be pleased with how they found those breakthroughs against Kilkenny. That has to be a positive.

But they need a 70-minute performance. If they are as wasteful as they were in the first half of the semi-final, Waterford are in trouble. If they are as efficient as the second half, then it will be game on.

For Waterford to win, they need their big names to come up trumps. Tadhg de Búrca is one of those. Jamie Barron is another, and Austin Gleeson of course.

But they need to get parity in the middle third.

Since Limerick have put Kyle Hayes in the half-back line, they have looked so physically strong and powerful in the middle third.

They have two giants in Hayes and Diarmaid Byrnes, who dominate the skies and can push forward for scores.

Declan Hannon sits further back, but Will O'Donoghue is another physical presence. He hits hard, and lies in front of the half-back line.

When Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey drop deep, there's a lot of traffic and a lot of power in that middle third.

They are slick at moving the ball in confined spaces, into the full-forward line or to runners coming off the shoulder.

Ultimately, I think Limerick are the best team in the country, and when they are on top form, nobody has had the answers for them yet. For me, they have to be favourites, and I think they will find a way to get it done.

Watch Limerick vs Waterford live on Sky Sports Mix from 2:30pm on Sunday.