Welcome all to our live coverage of the latest Munster hurling slugfest in the calendar, as Clare face their neighbours Limerick at Ennis. 

Clare opened their campaign with a win over Waterford and had their feet up last weekend, as they watched Limerick begin their championship with a harum-scarum loss to Cork. 

Clare are fending away doubts as to their leakiness in defence but consensus is that they have run into Limerick at the right time, with Cian Lynch suspended and Aaron Gillane out through injury. 

This should be the usual frenzied chaos, so do stay with us throughout the afternoon. 

Throw-in is at 2pm. 

Team news 

Here are the sides listed to start. We’ll let you know if there are any changes before throw-in. 

Clare

1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)

2. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones), 3. Conor Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown/Kilmaley), 4. Adam Hogan (Feakle)

5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. Niall O’Farrell (Broadford), 7. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)

8. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones), 9. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)

10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea), 11. David Reidy (Éire Óg), 12. Seán Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona)

13. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), 15. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)

Subs

• 16. Eamonn Fuody (Inagh-Kilnamona)
• 17. John Conlon (Clonlara)
• 18. Shane Meehan (Banner)
• 19. David McInerney (Tulla)
• 20. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle) 
• 21. Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin)
• 22. Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara)
• 23. Daithi Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
• 24. Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
• 25. Conor Leen (Corofin)
• 26. Senan Dunford (Tubber)

LIMERICK 

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

2. Seán Finn (Bruff), 3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), 4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)

8. Adam English (Doon), 9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)

10. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister), 11. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)

13. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s), 14. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh

Subs:

• 16. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
• 17. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)
• 18. Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret/St Paul’s)
• 19. Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
• 20. Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane)
• 21. Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West)
• 22. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
• 23 Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen)
• 24. Paddy O’Donovan (Effin)
• 25. David Reidy (Dromin/Athlacca)
• 26. Eddie Stokes (Doon)

Not long to go now, as the sides line up for the anthem. 

Peeeeeeep! 

And we’re off to a stirring roar in Ennis! 

Michael Kennedy of Tipp is the ref.

1 min – Clare 0-01 Limerick 0-00

Shane O’Donnell robs possession and converts for the first score of the game, after 42 seconds! 

2 mins – Clare 0-02 Limerick 0-00

Shane O’Donnell wins battle number two with Sean Finn, winning a free by the left touchline. Mark Rogers taps over.

3 mins – Clare 0-02 Limerick 0-01 

Peter Casey gets Limerick off the mark, cutting inside from the right and popping over. It came from Cathal O’Neill winning primary ball off Nickie Quaid’s puck-out.

4 mins – Clare 0-03 Limerick 1-01

GOAL! 

Aidan O’Connor rifles to the net for Limerick, came from Peter Casey and then Barry Nash sweeping up the pitch in oceans of space. 

David Reidy replies quickly with a point for Clare.

5 mins – Clare 0-03 Limerick 1-02 

Now Nash converts for a point from deep.

This is storming stuff: Diarmuid Byrnes flattens Shane O’Donnell with a shoulder to which the referee doesn’t react. Oooof, I could hear O’Donnell’s ribs rattle from here. 

8 mins – Clare 0-03 Limerick 1-03

O’Donnell is up after treatment and is fine to continue. Tony Kelly has gone off for Clare, albeit apparently temporarily. 

Limerick win a free behind their own 65 – Duggan penalised for a challenge – over which Diarmuid Byrnes stands and then converts. Three-point game.

11 mins - Clare 0-03 Limerick 1-04

Clare, after some faffing about with a very short puck-out, escape the Limerick pressure, but Sean Finn this time gets the better of O’Donnell when the ball is delivered. Clare crowd scream for a foul on O’Donnell that isn’t given, and Limerick end up winning another free again inside their own 65., 

Again Byrnes hits it, but this one drifts wide.

Clare respond by lofting a ball into the edge of the square which O’Donnell rises and plucks from the sky, but is hooked before he shoots and Limerick defend the shot brilliantly. 

From where Limerick sweep forward and Tom Morrissey converts on the run.

12 mins – Clare 0-04 Limerick 1-04 

Ironic jeers from the Clare crowd as they are awarded a free in front of the posts. Rodgers pops it over to trim the gap to three points once again.

15 mins – Clare 0-04 Limerick 1-06

Gearóid Hegarty from the right half forward position for Limerick: their half-forward line are causing havoc so far. 

Then a huge interception by Sean Finn! Tony Kelly in space, and aimed to handpass the ball inside to an unmarked O’Donnell for a certain goal, only for Finn to pop his stick up for a huge moment. 

Limerick then tag on another point: their forwards are finding so much space. 

16 mins – Clare 0-04 Limerick 1-07

The referee spots some holding from miles away and so Limerick are given a handy free on the edge of the D. Aidan O’Connor slices it over and suddenly Limerick have crept well in front.

17 mins – Clare 0-05 Limerick 1-08

A pump of the fist for Shane O’Brien as he gallops onto the ball and swivels to score. 

Mark Rodgers replies for Clare, but the Limerick forwards are enjoying this far too much. 

19 mins – 0-05 Limerick 2-08

GOAL Limerick! 

And a black card for Adam Hogan of Clare to boot, for dragging down Aidan O’Connor as he bore down on goal.  Diarmuid Byrnes lashes the penalty beyond Quilligan.The Clare backs cannot get close to their markers and they’ve been overwhelmed so far. 

20 mins – Clare 0-06 Limerick 2-08

Mark Rodgers taps the ball over for his fourth point for Clare.

21 mins – Clare 0-06 Limerick 2-09

Frighteningly casual brilliance by Adam English, as with a lazy whip he converts from a narrow angle while running away from goal. Clare are being pulverised here.

23 mins – Clare 0-06 Limerick 2-10

Rory Hayes dallies for an age on the ball and thus can’t clear his lines, as he is swallowed up by Shane O’Brien. Shane O’Donnell is deemed to have hit O’Brien high as he tries to recover the ball, and it’s a free in for Limerick, converted by Aidan O’Connor. Clare are playing this game at half-speed at times.

25 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-10

Our referee is hot on jersey pulling, and so Clare win a free amid a ruck beneath Quilligan’s dropping puck-out. Mark Rodgers converts but this is a dire situation for Clare, with the atmosphere seeping away.

26 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-11 

Cathal O’Neill is deemed to have been fouled by Rory Hayes after a super block down by Diarmuid Ryan. O’Connor can’t miss.

27 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-12 

Another score for Limerick, O’Connor from play this time, after Diarmuid Byrnes plucked the ball from the sky, raided forward and fired a diagonal ball into the forward line. 

Our TV director meanwhile cuts to Gillane and Lynch in the stand. Remember when we thought Clare might be catching Limerick at the right time! 

28 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-13 

Peter Casey snaps over from the left touchline: exhibition stuff. Which is as much of a credit to Limerick as it is a criticism of Clare.

Adam Hogan back on now and Clare back to 15 players. 

31 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-13 

Gearoid Hegarty booked for Limerick, leaving his left arm swinging spare as he flew into a tackle. Rodgers stands over the free – between the Clare 45 and 65 – and he drops it into Quaid’s hands.

32 mins – Clare 0-07 Limerick 2-14 

Quick one-two from a Limerick sideline cut and Hegarty converts. This is complete Limerick dominance.

34 mins – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-14

Mark Rodgers converts from a free on his own 45.

37 mins -Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-14

What a save by Quaid! 

Clare finally get a chance at goal as Rodgers barrells through the defence, and as the ball drops to the grounds, he chops it goalward only for Quaid to react by jutting out his hurl as he dives, and the Limerick defence survive. 

HT – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-15

Aidan O’Connor taps over a free for Limerick, and Clare’s last act is to waste possession again by drifting a ball lamely wide. 

It has been total dominance from Limerick: they have won virtually every man-on-man battle out there, and so lead by 13 points at the break. The Clare backs are close to the Limerick forwards by eircode only. 

Clare need a massive step-up.

“Limerick are rolling back the years”, says Donal Óg on RTÉ’s coverage at half-time. “Limerick have been class.” 

Clare back out onto the pitch first, a couple of minutes before Limerick and we are underway again. 

Jack O’Neill on for Clare, with Sean Rynne off. 

37 mins – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-16

Free in for Limerick and the Clare defence’s tribulations resume: Conor Cleary pinged for pulling back Shane O’Brien in the corner. O’Connor slams the free over the bar. 

38 mins – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-16

Mark Rodgers sees a free drop short into Quaid’s left hand. Startling stat: Clare haven’t scored from play since the 16th minute.

40 mins – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-16 

Ball into Aidan O’Connor, again miles out in front of his marker, but this time his shot drops wide. The rain is now falling, but Clare look as flat as they did in the dry. 

Rodgers sees an easy chance drift wide. This is fairly zestless stuff.

42 mins – Clare 0-08 Limerick 2-16

Peter Duggan fetches the ball from the skies and lays the ball off to Tony Kelly, but his strike for goal is crowded out by a thicket of recovering Limerick bodies. And then the Clare 65 goes wide. 

David McInerney is on for Clare, Conor Cleary off. McInerney gets involved in a scuffle with Shane O’Brien as soon as he’s introduced and there’s fisticuffs involving a couple of additional players. And very, very harshly, McInerney is booked where O’Brien is not. 

45 mins – Clare 0-09 Limerick 2-16

Another fine save by Quaid! 

Rodgers wins possession and sets off on goal, running diagonally and then firing a low shot to Quaid’s left, but the Limerick keeper reacts to block the shot, a second superb goal-saving save by Quaid. 

Rodgers does have a 65 as a consolation, which he converts.

David Reidy off and Diarmuid Stritch on for Clare, by the way.

46 mins – Clare 0-09 Limerick 2-17

Barry Nash raids forward again and has enormous space to pop over his second point of the day.

48 mins – Clare 0-10 Limerick 2-17

Peter Duggan is left in a heap and Adam English gets a yellow card as a result. 

Rodgers points the free, but Clare are making no inroads here. They haven’t a score from play in half an hour! 

49 mins – Clare 0-11 Limerick 2-18

Cathal O’Neill is unmarked and easily scores from the right half forward position and then – huzzah! – Diarmuid Ryan scores for Clare, their first score from play in 32 minutes of play.

50 mins – Clare 0-12 Limerick 2-18

Limerick’s physicality strays over the edge: Nash is yellow-carded for a needless shunt on Ryan Taylor. Rodgers converts the free.

51 mins – Clare 0-13 Limerick 2-18

Great score by Niall O’Farrell from downtown for Clare.

53 mins – Clare 0-14 Limerick 2-18

And now Rodgers scores from range! Much better from Clare, and they are finally beginning to nibble into that monstrous lead. A roar around Ennis and there’s a sense of momentum slowly shifting here…

55 mins – Clare 0-14 Limerick 2-18 

Peter Duggan is the latest to be yellow-carded, for catching Nickie Quaid as the Limerick goalkeeper strode out with the ball. The seventh yellow of the day so far.

David Reidy is on for Limerick, replacing Tom Morrissey.

56 mins – Clare 0-14 Limerick 2-20

Diarmuid Byrnes steps up with an important score for Limerick, and it’s a quick one-two punch as Limerick win the Clare puck-out and Peter Casey points.

57 mins – Clare 0-14 Limerick 2-22 

Limerick have upped it again: diagonal ball in for Shane O’Brien who doesn’t break stride in catching, turning, and shooting. 

O’Brien then adds another point moments later and suddenly it’s double scores again.

59 mins – Clare 0-14 Limerick 2-23

Red card! 

Adam English for Limerick is off, as he has been given a second yellow for a lazy, high challenge on Stritch. This second half has been stop-start with its physical edge frequently straying over, so it’s hardly a surprise that we have seen a red card. 

And then oh no Rodgers: he shanks the free way right. 

Limerick respond with another point from play.

61 mins – Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-23 

Goal Clare! 

This game is getting ragged. Ball into Tony Kelly is taken ahead of Barry Nash, and he is eventually dragged down by Nash as he bears down on goal. 

It’s a penalty for Clare but somehow Nash – who has already been booked – hasn’t given a black nor second yellow card. 

Tony Kelly slams the penalty into the net! It’s a 12-point game. 

63 mins – Clare 1-14 Limerick 2-24 

Gearoid Hegarty chops the ball off the ground and into his hand – superb skill -and he is deemed to have been fouled in this bitty, bitty game. Aidan O’Connor converts to extend Limerick’s lead to 13.

64 mins – Clare 1-15 Limerick 2-24 

Tony Kelly scores from play after a brilliant catch. Latest into the book is Mike Casey of Limerick.

66 mins – Clare 1-16 Limerick 2-25

Another brilliant score by Aidan O’Connor, off his right close to the same touchline. 1-08 for O’Connor so far today.

Jack O’Neill responds with a good point from play for Clare, but it’s all academic now, as the dead atmosphere around Ennis will tell you. 

68 mins – Clare 1-16 Limerick 2-26 

Shane O’Brien has been outstanding today – and he floats another point over having been picked out by O’Connor. 

69 mins – Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-26 

Tony Kelly points a 65.

70 mins – Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-27

Fintan Fitzgerald is introduced for Limerick, and he instantly gets his hand on the ball and fires over. 

71 mins – Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-28

O’Connor’s clinic continues, firing over from play once again. 

Awesome by Limerick: four additional minutes of Clare torture to play.

73 mins – Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-31

Distillation department: Rory Hayes has a sideline cut for Clare, and he swipes it clumsily right to Cathal O’Neill in front of him, who flicks the ball up and sweeps it over the bar. 

Then Shane O’Brien scores once agin, and we are in the realm of an unmerciful hammering. 

FT: Clare 1-17 Limerick 2-30

All over and it’s an awesome flex by Limerick, who even without Gillane and Lynch, have blown away Clare in Ennis, winning by 16 points. 

Clare were abysmal, but Limerick were superb, winning virtually every one-on-one battle while being able to rely on Nickie Quaid when they needed to. Outstanding performances from Shane O’Brien, Aidan O’Connor and Diarmuid Byrnes in particular. 

Clare need to do some real soul-searching ahead of their final games; Limerick are most certainly back on track. 

Thanks for following – report and reaction from Ennis to follow.