Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon’s first BGE All-Ireland U21 hurling semi-final between champions Clare and Antrim.

The bookies expect to see the Banner win by 21 points — can Antrim keep it closer than that or, dare we say it, even cause a shock?

We’re just about ready to throw in in Semple Stadium.

Here are the teams. No changes on either side.

Clare

1. Keith Hogan

2. Jarlath Colleran
3. Jack Browne
4. Seadna Morey

5. Gearóid O’Connell
6. Alan O’Neill
7. Jamie Shanahan

8. Colm Galvin
9. Eoin Enright

10. Bobby Duggan
11. Tony Kelly
12. Peter Duggan

13. Shane O’Donnell
14. Aaron Cunningham
15. David Reidy

Antrim

1. Ciarán Butler

2. Michael Dudley
3. Paddy Burke
4. Michael Bradley

5. Ryan McCambridge
6. Jackson McGreevy
7. Tomás Ó Ciaráin

8. Eoghan Campbell
9. Niall McKenna

10. Daniel McCloskey
11. Stephen McAfee
12. Darragh McGuinness

13. Daniel McKernan
14. Seán McAfee
15. Ciarán Clarke

THROW IN: We’re underway in Semple.

Clare 0-1 Antrim 0-0: 4 mins – Fine score by Colm Galvin to get us up and running.

Clare 0-2 Antrim 0-0: 6 mins – David Reidy finds himself in space in front of the posts and points.

Clare 0-4 Antrim 0-0: 9 mins – Duggan and Reidy send over two points in the space of 30 seconds. So far, so comfortable for Clare.

Clare 0-5 Antrim 0-0: 9 mins – Bobby Duggan points his second free from Clare. Antrim can’t lay a finger on them at the moment.

GOAL FOR CLARE! Clare 1-5 Antrim 0-0: 12 mins – Aaron Cunningham keeps his cool to get Clare’s opening goal. Shane O’Donnell did brilliantly to set up Peter Duggan but his shot was straight at Butler and saved.

Cunningham — who slipped when he could have scored a moment or two earlier — plucks the rebound from the sky and buries the second chance.

Clare 1-6 Antrim 0-0: 16 mins – Fine score by David Reidy from out on the right sideline. That’s three so far for him.

McKenna has a chance to get Antrim on the board with a looooong effort from midfield but it drops right and wide.

GOAL FOR ANTRIM! Clare 1-7 Antrim 1-0: 19 mins – Clarke gets in around the back of the Clare defence and solos towards goal. His shot is saved by Hogan but McAfee is there to palm home the rebound.

Clare 1-9 Antrim 1-0: 20 mins – Clare aren’t taking their foot off the pedal. Two quick points from Enright and Bobby Duggan push them nine points clear again.

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

GOAL FOR CLARE! Clare 2-9 Antrim 1-0: 21 mins – Aaron Cunningham bags his second of the afternoon and again, it’s a very composed finish. He shapes as if to shoot and then dummies, letting the sliotar drop before firing it into the net on the half volley.

Clare 2-11 Antrim 1-1: 24 mins – McKernan points for Antrim during one of their rare forays into Clare territory but it’s followed by two quick points from Cunningham and Galvin. Clare lead by 13 now.

Clare 2-13 Antrim 1-1: 27 mins – A point apiece for Bobby Duggan and Tony Kelly. It’s effortless by Clare who are patiently keeping possession until a clear shooting opportunity presents itself.

Clare 2-16 Antrim 1-1: 30 mins – Bobby Duggan points a monster free from halfway to cap an impressive half. Jamie Shanahan and Tony Kelly each add points for good measure.

HALF TIME: Clare 2-16 Antrim 1-1

Well, the bookies weren’t wrong…

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Scorers for Clare: Cunningham 2-1, B Duggan 0-5 (3f), Reidy 0-3, Galvin, Kelly 0-2 each, Shanahan, Enright, O’Donnell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Antrim: S McAfee 1-0, McKernan 0-1.

SECOND HALF: We’re back — although this became a damage limitation exercise for Antrim a long time ago. Wonder what Kevin Ryan had to say at the break?

Clare 2-16 Antrim 1-3: 33 mins – Sean McAfee gets the first point of the second half and Stephen follows him in with another a moment or two later.

Clare 2-18 Antrim 1-4: 36 mins – Clare sub Cathal O’Connell gets his first two points of the afternoon, one from a free, before Stephen McAfee points at the other end for Antrim.

GOAL FOR CLARE! Clare 3-19 Antrim 1-5: 39 mins – Clarke points for Antrim but at the other end, Tony Kelly steps onto a loose ball and rifles home Clare’s third goal. Butler had no chance in the Saffrons goal.

Clare 3-20 Antrim 1-5: 40 mins – O’Connell points another free.

Clare 3-23 Antrim 1-5: 47 mins – Tony Kelly points to take his individual tally to 1-3 and then another O’Connell free and Shane O’Donnell point stretch the lead to 24 points.

Clare 3-23 Antrim 1-7: 49 mins – Burke and Stephen McAfee point to give the Antrim score a little bit more respectability. Just over 10 minutes left in this one.

GOAL FOR CLARE! Clare 4-23 Antrim 1-8: 51 mins – McCaughan points to make it three unanswered points in what is the closest thing Antrim have had to a purple patch.

No sooner than I have the words typed, Aaron Cunningham wriggles free at the other end and taps home his hat-trick goal.

Clare 4-25 Antrim 1-8: 54 mins – O’Connell sends over another simple free. If you’re still keeping count (ie if you’ve backed Clare to cover the spread), they’re 26 points up now. Your money should be safe.

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Clare 4-26 Antrim 1-8: 56 mins – Aaron Cunningham shows that he’s good for more than just goals. He takes a fine point from out on the left sideline, splitting the posts.

Clare 4-27 Antrim 1-8: 58 mins – Antrim captain Jackson McGreevy makes two fine stops on the line to deny Tony Kelly Clare’s fifth goal but he’s penalised, although it’s hard to see the infringement in the replays.

O’Connell chooses not to rub salt in the wound and points rather than going for goal.

Clare 4-28 Antrim 1-10: 60 mins – This one is just about over as Cunningham points for Clare. Clarke and Bradley have the final say with a point apiece for Antrim, leaving the final margin at 27.

FULL TIME: Clare 4-28 Antrim 1-10

That’s all from this afternoon’s first semi-final which was as comfortable for Clare as everyone expected. They win by 27 points, thanks in no small part to 3-3 from Man of the Match Aaron Cunningham, and will face either Wexford or Galway in this year’s decider.

Thanks for reading.