Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng admits next week's clash with Waterford is crucial not just for booking a place in the Allianz League semi-finals, but also on finalising the core of his starting team for the Leinster Championship.
TJ Reid was brought into the side for his first taste of action this year – a somewhat earlier start for the 36-year-old than usual.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Lyng said: "TJ, with the year he had in the club campaign, played his last match in his county final (last October).
"So it's about getting minutes into fellas as well because Championship is just around the corner.
"It doesn't mean he'll play every league game. Obviously, we just one left now at the minute, which is going to be a big game for us now, so we'll assess that over the next couple of weeks and see how many minutes he plays.
"But he's fighting hard for his place. Everybody else is as well. So it's important to see everybody for the squad.
"It's a very important match in Waterford. It's a huge game for us now. And look, all the time we're building a team, we're still trying to find our best 15 as well, our best panel.
"And look, it's coming to the stage now where we need to be kind of finding out who's going to be there come Championship."
Counterpart Brian Lohan, meanwhile, feels that the league is helping Clare’s progress having sealed a placed in the last four.
He was particularly pleased with their defensive work, keeping the Cats to just 0-07 from play over the game.
Lohan reflected: "Look, I suppose overall I'm happy enough with the league so far. These big games, it may only be the league, but they're big games for the players that are involved and big games for us.
"So happy with the performance, happy with the result. I suppose there are areas that we can improve on, but it was good, tough, robust game for this time of the year and we'll take it.
"I think our backs did really well. Any day that you play against Kilkenny and can keep them scoreless from a goal perspective is always good. They've such threats up there and such really good players. So I’m really happy with our backs in particular and midfield that worked really hard."
While Clare can look forward to being in the final stages of the league, the Munster Championship is also approaching in six weeks.
Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell were seen doing light work at Cusack Park but they were not involved on Sunday.
Lohan spoke of their absence, saying: "Yeah, look, they're all working real hard. Look, a lot of these serious injuries, they're in the hands of the physios, so we'll just leave it with them. And the lads want to get back as soon as they can. But if you're not right to be back, you're not right to be back.
"The whole year revolves around the Championship, so 21 April is the big day for us."
