CLARE
They have travelled to this juncture by… playing five games and coming through the qualifiers. Clare clipped the wings of Waterford by eight points before bowing out in Munster by the same margin against Cork.
On the backdoor stage they thrived with wins over Laois (by 20 points), Wexford (by ten points after extra-time) and Galway (by six points).
Their players All-Ireland senior semi-final experience is… largely non-existent. None of their starting 15 against Galway have featured in an All-Ireland senior semi-final before. Substitutes Fergal Lynch and Jonathan Clancy both came on as substitutes against Cork in 2005 while Clancy started against Kilkenny 12 months later.
The player they cannot do without is… Padraic Collins. He’s only 21 and didn’t start in this season’s provincial opener against Waterford but Collins has become an invaluable figure. His scoring exploits, 0-13 in his last four games, have been key and were particularly striking against Cork and Galway.
But his energetic style and ferocious work rate have also been central to their progress. Lit up that quarter-final win over Galway with his audacious reverse handpass to a teammate.
They will be happy because… their young players are continuing to shine at both senior and U21 level, they have built up great momentum and are preparing for their sixth championship game in 2013, a notable feat considering how Clare senior teams have fared in recent years.
They will be worried because… there may have been signs of how they can be taken down in the Munster semi-final against Cork. A tight-marking defence and an economical attack – traits that semi-final opponents Limerick possess – snuffed out the threat of the Banner on that occasion.
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
CORK
They have travelled to this juncture by… playing 3 games and recovering from their Munster final setback. Rousing wins over Clare and Kilkenny sandwiched that disappointment against Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds. The success over the Cats was a milestone for this team and their management.
Their players All-Ireland senior semi-final experience… is recent after last year’s loss at this stage to Galway by 0-22 to 0-17. Jimmy Barry-Murphy can call on 10 of the Cork team that started that game while Daniel Kearney came on as a 69th minute substitute.
Of the four players that did not feature in that game, William Egan was brought on as a sub in the 2010 All-Ireland semi-final while Conor O’Sullivan, Christopher Joyce and Seamus Harnedy are all getting set for their semi-final debut.
The player they cannot do without is… Patrick Horgan. Cork’s chances of defeating Limerick were wounded when Horgan was sent-off in the Munster final and their chances of beating Kilkenny a fortnight ago were boosted considerably when his suspension was overturned.
Horgan is their attacking lynchpin, a reliable freetaker and a source of inspiration from play. All of those qualities surfaced against Kilkenny and he’s chalked up 0-24 (16 from placed balls) in the 175 odd minutes of championship hurling that he has played this summer.
They will be happy because… they have defeated Kilkenny, a scalp that should boost confidence levels in the squad. They look in better shape than last year with experienced figures like Tom Kenny and emerging figures like Seamus Harnedy amongst those to be in excellent form.
They will be worried because… they have yet to hit the net this summer. Admittedly they have not conceded a goal either and the successful Cork team of 2003-06 were not prolific in front of goal either. But it’s likely that Cork will need to discover a goalscoring touch if they are to keep their winning ways going.
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
DUBLIN
They have travelled to this juncture by… coming through an exhausting Leinster championship schedule. They played five games in a 29-day period starting with that June 8th tie against Wexford. But replay wins over Wexford and Kilkenny preceded a convincing success over Galway to clinch provincial glory.
Their players All-Ireland senior semi-final experience… is based around their meeting two years ago with Tipperary. Dublin were felled by 1-19 to 0-18 in that game with 11 of their starting side then featuring in the starting line-up in the Leinster final against Galway.
The newcomers are Stephen Hiney, Conal Keaney, Danny Sutcliffe and David Treacy with injuries have robbed Anthony Daly of three of those players in 2011 while current U21 Sutcliffe was not involved in the ranks.
The player they cannot do without is… Liam Rushe. It’s interesting to note that two years ago he was playing at centre-forward for the senior side but having been switched to the heart of the defence, Rushe has been an inspirational force.
He set the tone for 2013 with that majestic performance in the Division 1B league final win over Limerick in April, thundering into that game in the second-half, and has maintained those standards.
They will be happy because… they are unbeaten in this summer’s championship and have claimed three pieces of silverware this year – Walsh Cup, Division 1B league and Leinster senior title. There is plenty optimism around the camp and the lessons of the past have been significantly digested.
They will be worried because… they are entering the game on the back of a five-week hiatus. Will that period of inactivity affect them in contrast to a Cork team who have had two games in the interim?
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
LIMERICK
They have travelled to this juncture by… ending their county’s 17-year wait for a Munster senior hurling title. They only played two games to achieve that but thrived in their home environs of the Gaelic Grounds to overcome Tipperary and Cork.
Their players All-Ireland senior semi-final experience… centres around the 24-point mauling by Tipperary in 2009 and for a few the joyous win over Waterford in 2007.
The survivors from the starting team four years ago are Seamus Hickey, Gavin O’Mahony, Donal O’Grady, James Ryan, Niall Moran, Paul Browne and David Breen while Stephen Walsh came on as a substitute. The players still around from that victory over Waterford in 2007 are Hickey, O’Grady and Moran.
The player they cannot do without is… Richie McCarthy. An experienced figure at the edge of the square who has been really impressive so far this season and helped backbone their defensive effort.
McCarthy’s physical approach helped shut down the Tipperary and Cork attacks, and in a squad that is not blessed with plenty defensive cover, he is a key man.
They will be happy because… they are back in the big time after being crowned Munster senior hurling champions. In a county with passionate hurling fans that is something to savour and in an open championship, they will hope the team’s performance graph can continue to rise.
They will be worried because… there are injury concerns over attackers Sean Tobin and Kevin Downes while their five week spell without a game has been in contrast to the regular activity that Clare’s players have been exposed to.
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
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