Here’s the Tipperary team for this evening’s game. Just the one change from the semi-final win over Limerick as Jason Forde replaces Eanna Murray at right corner-forward.

TIPPERARY U21H: Paul Ryan (Upperchurch-Drombane); Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Andrew Ryan (Toomevara), Pa Ryan (Clonakenny), Willie Ryan (Clonakenny), Brian Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons), Justin Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Dan McCormack (Borrisileigh); John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Sean Curran (Mullinahone), Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonagh’s); Jason Forde (Silvermines), Cian Hogan (Lorrha & Dorrha), Liam McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney).

And here’s the Clare team, unchanged from their semi-final victory over Waterford.

CLARE U21H: Ronan Taaffe (Tubber); Paul Flanagan (Ballyea), David McInerney (Tulla), Killian Ryan (Ruan); Patrick O’Connor (Tubber), Conor Ryan (Cratloe), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge); Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Padraig Collins (Cratloe), Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones); David O’Halloran (Eire Og, Ennis), Conor McGrath (Cratloe), Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara).

Here’s all you need to know about this evening’s game with the views of Clare captain Conor McGrath here and Tipperary attacker Jason Forde here.

Here are the Tipperary substitutes for tonight’s game.

TIPPERARY: 16. Darragh Mooney (Éire Óg Annacarty), 17. Willie Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha), 18. Alan Hogan (Shannon Rovers), 19. Sean McCormack (Borrisoleigh), 20. Aidan McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields), 21. Eanna Murray (Templederry), 22. Tommy Heffernan (Éire Óg Nenagh), 23. Aidan McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 24. Padraig Greene (Upperchurch-Drombane).

And the Clare substitutes for the match are here.

CLARE: 16. Stephen Fleming (Sixmilebridge), 17. Cathal McInerney (Cratloe), 18. Stephen O’Halloran (Clarecastle), 19. Cillian Fennessy (Clonlara), 20. Jarlath Colleran (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), 21. Enda Boyce (Cratloe), 22. Niall Arthur (Inagh-Kilnamona), 23. Pat Sheehan (Sixmilebridge), 24. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin).

The Munster U21 championship has conjured up some classic encounters in recent years but this season’s competition has not yet lived up to the advance billing. We’ll be hoping for an excellent contest tonight. Clare enter as strong favorites on the back of their recent Munster minor triumphs and with a plethora of players who were involved in Davy Fitzgerald’s senior squad this season. But Tipperary have impressed this season with their spirited and workmanlike displays that have delivered victories over Cork and Limerick.

We’re gearing up for throw-in at Cusack Park in Ennis with a huge crowd in attendance for this game. Respective captains John O’Dwyer and Conor McGrath are currently with referee John Sexton for the toss.

The national anthem is currently being played and we’ll be underway shortly.

Early chance for Clare’s Conor McGrath but the high ball is difficult to control and it rolls wide.

And at the other end Tipperary nearly grab a goal themselves but Denis Maher is crowded out by the Clare defence and shoots wide under severe pressure.

Clare struggling to find their range in front of goal with Tony Kelly and McGrath both firing wide.

As expected Clare have brought Cathal O’Connell outfield from his corner-forward role, a tactic that worked successfully in the semi-final win over Waterford.

Again poor shooting spoils Clare’s approach work with Padraig Collins off target on this occasion. At the other end Tipperary’s John O’Dwyer’s shooting is also off and after 7 minutes, we’ve already had 8 wides and are still awaiting the game’s first score.

Clare are dominating the early exchanges but their shooting is wretched so far. Eight wides to date after ten minutes, Cathal O’Connell the latest culprit from a placed ball on the right wing.

Tipperary 0-1 Clare 0-0: 12 mins – Finally the game’s first score has arrived with Tipperary registering it courtesy of a John O’Dwyer pointed free after Cian Hogan was fouled.

Tipperary 0-2 Clare 0-0: 13 mins – Then O’Dwyer turns provider, plucking the ball from the sky and offloading to Denis Maher who tidily splits the posts with his shot.

Tipperary 0-2 Clare 0-1: 15 mins – Finally Clare get off the mark when Conor McGrath converts a free after he was fouled himself by Stephen Maher. That should help settle them after their awful shooting in the first quarter that saw them amass nine wides.

Tipperary 0-3 Clare 0-1: 17 mins – Cian Hogan stretches Tipperary’s lead with a point after enterprising work by Liam McGrath created the opening.

Tipperary 0-3 Clare 0-2: 19 mins – The home crowd react positively after Clare finally grab a score from play. It’s a typically stylish effort from wing-forward Tony Kelly, who has been quiet so far, from distance.

Clare’s Cathal O’Connell sees his point effort strike the upright but Davy O’Halloran, despite being alert to the rebound, takes the wrong decision in going for goal and drives the ball wide under pressure.

Aaron Cunningham is gone into the full-forward line for Clare.

That is a huge let-off for Clare as Tipperary miss a golden chance for a goal. Denis Maher sends in a high ball that is caught by Cian Hogan ahead of goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe and with the net gaping in front of him, Hogan’s shot flies wide when it seemed easier to score. Terrible miss from Tipperary’s viewpoint and easily the best chance of a goal so far.

Tipperary 0-4 Clare 0-3: 25 mins – Cian Hogan does manage to fire over a point for Tipperary here after good work by Sean Curran and Liam McGrath in prising apart the Clare defence. That was a good response by the Lorrha-Dorrha club man after his previous miss. Clare quickly grab a point in reply through their centre-forward Padraig Collins.

Tipperary 0-5 Clare 0-3: 26 mins – Beautiful point from the wing by John O’Dwyer as he lofts over a shot. But the score is all down to the great work of Liam McGrath who is expertly filling the role of creator in the Tipperary attack.

Another poor miss from Clare, this time from a free by Conor McGrath. They have not replicated the heights they scaled in firing 2-22 against Waterford in the Munster semi-final.

Tipperary 0-5 Clare 0-4: 29 mins – McGrath quickly makes amends by pointing a free for Clare after he was fouled himself by Stephen Maher.

Tipperary 0-5 Clare 0-5: 31 mins – The teams are level after an excellent point for Clare by Tony Kelly.

HALF-TIME: Tipperary 0-6 Clare 0-5: But it’s Tipperary who edge ahead at the interval when Liam McGrath launches over a fine point after John O’Dwyer did well to retain possession and play the ball back out to the Loughmore-Castleiney player.

No doubt that Tipperary will be the happier outfit at the break to be ahead given the dominance Clare have exerted in the first-half. But the Banner’s shooting has been extremely poor as they have fired 13 wides so far and did not register on the scoreboard until the 15th minute. Still given the golden opportunity that Tipperary spurned when Cian Hogan fired wide in front of an open goal, means Clare are still in the hunt at the break as they are only a point adrift.

It’s been a below-par match so far but it’s still competitive and interesting. We’ll be back shortly to record the second-half action but here’s the scorers from the first-half.

TIPPERARY: John O’Dwyer (0-1f), Cian Hogan 0-2 each, Denis Maher, Liam McGrath 0-1 each.
CLARE: Conor McGrath (0-2f), Tony Kelly 0-2 each, Padraig Collins 0-1.

The teams are back out on the pitch with the second-half about to commence.

Tipperary 0-7 Clare 0-5: 31 mins – Bright start to the second-half for Tipperary as John O’Dwyer launches over a huge free from his own 65 yard line.

Tipperary 0-8 Clare 0-6: 34 mins – Another fine point by Tony Kelly, his third of the game, for Clare after Aaron Cunningham did superbly to win primary possession. But Jason Forde responds instantly for Tipperary after Dan McCormack had forced a turnover.

Tipperary 0-9 Clare 0-8: 36 mins – The scoring rates are far better in this half with Cathal O’Connell launching over a point from Clare after great work by Tony Kelly before a wayward pass by Killian Ryan leads to a point by John O’Dwyer. Then O’Connell hits another point to cut the gap to one.

Tipperary 0-9 Clare 0-9: 37 mins – It’s a draw game with Padraig Collins raising a white flag for Clare and then Tipperary miss a chance to restore their lead with John O’Dwyer striking a close-range free wide.

Yellow card for Clare’s Padraig Collins for a foul on Liam McGrath.

Clare miss a couple of good chances to forge ahead and the teams are still level entering the final quarter.

Tipperary 0-10 Clare 0-10: 45 mins – Tipperary sneak ahead through substitute Eanna Murray but Tony Kelly, Clare’s best player on the night so far, strikes over another point in response to bring the teams level.

Clare 0-11 Tipperary 0-10: 47 mins – Clare have edged ahead with Cathal O’Connell popping over a free after Conor McGrath was fouled. At the other end a bad miss by Niall O’Meara for Tipperary.

Tipperary 1-10 Clare 0-11: 48 mins – Goal for Tipperary! That could be a crucial score with John O’Dwyer blasting a fierce shot to the net after a neat pass by Jason Forde had created the opening.

Tipperary 1-10 Clare 0-12: 50 mins – Important response from Clare when Tony Kelly converts a long-range free. Substitution for Clare with Peter Duggan in for Cathal O’Connell.

Tipperary 1-10 Clare 0-13: 52 mins – We’re level again with Conor McGrath smacking over a free after Clare’s Padraig Collins was fouled. Substitution for Tipperary sees Aidan McCormack in for Cian Hogan.

Tipperary 1-11 Clare 0-13: 54 mins – John O’Dwyer holds his nerve at the other end to atone for earlier misses as he nails the free that pus Tipperary ahead.

Tipperary 1-12 Clare 0-13: 55 mins – Substitute Aidan McCormack makes a quick impact for Tipperary as he fires over a great point from the left wing.

Tipperary 1-12 Clare 0-14: 57 mins – Back to a one-point game after Tony Kelly launches over a long-range free for Clare.

Tipperary 1-14 Clare 0-15: 58 mins – It’s so tight in Ennis with John O’Dwyer of Tipperary and Seadna Morey of Clare trading points. But then John O’Dwyer fires over a superb point. Clare replace Aaron Cunningham with Niall Arthur while Tipperary bring on Padraig Greene for Sean Curran.

Tipperary 1-14 Clare 0-16: 59 mins – Tony Kelly fires over a ’65 for Clare. One point in it again.

Clare 1-16 Tipperary 1-14: 61 mins – Goal for Clare as Niall Arthur finds the net.

Huge drama as we enter the last few seconds.

FULL-TIME: Clare 1-16 Tipperary 1-14: And that’s it, Clare snatch a dramatic victory with Arthur’s injury-time goal proving the winning score.

Amazing conclusion to that game as Clare stole a famous victory. The winning score arrived through the combination play of three Banner substitutes. Peter Duggan fired in a long sideline ball that was collected by Cathal McInerney who fed the inrushing Niall Arthur and he shot clinically to the net. That is only Clare’s second ever Munster title in this grade after their earlier success in 2009.

A heartbreaking loss for Tipperary as they lost out in a gripping contest. There were 8,379 spectators present in Cusack Park in Ennis for what was a huge triumph for Clare. The Banner struck 16 wides in all but improved their shooting in the second-half with Tony Kelly, who has been awarded the man-of-the-match accolade, leading the way and Niall Arthur grabbing that crucial late goal. It was a tough blow for Tipperary to absorb as their hopes of a Grand Slam of provincial hurling titles in 2012 were dashed with tonight’s defeat. Captain John O’Dwyer was excellent for Tipperary as he struck 1-7 but it was his opposite number Conor McGrath that got to lift the cup at the final whistle.

That’s all from tonight’s action in Ennis, thanks for joining us and for all your comments. Here are the scorers from tonight’s game.

CLARE: Tony Kelly 0-7 (0-2f, 0-1 ’65), Niall Arthur 1-0, Cathal O’Connell (0-1f), Conor McGrath (0-3f) 0-3 each, Padraig Collins 0-2, Seadna Morey 0-1.
TIPPERARY: John O’Dwyer 1-7 (0-3f), Cian Hogan 0-2, Denis Maher, Liam McGrath, Jason Forde, Eanna Murray, Aidan McCormack 0-1 each.