Afternoon all!

We have one last taste of league action for you today as Waterford and Clare meet for the first time in a hurling league final. It’s a novel pairing, not least because of Kilkenny’s absence. Brian Cody’s side have appeared in 10 of the last 14 deciders and they’ve always regarded a competition worth winning. Davy Fitzgerald and Derek McGrath would appear to concur with that idea.

The fact that these sides meet again in five weeks adds an extra intrigue to this tie. Two teams who are characterized by defensive systems and some highly skilled hurlers. Should Waterford win, it would mean they’ve lost only once in this competition in two years. A victory for the Banner would make it 12 games unbeaten so far this season.

An added significance is the statistic that since 2000, eight teams have met in the summer after facing-off in that year’s league final. The winners of the league final emerged victorious in seven of those eight championship encounters. This game matters and don’t let anyway tell you otherwise.

The teams!

Clare

1. Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona)

2. Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara)
3. Pat O’Connor (Tubber)
4. Cian Dillon (Crusheen)

5. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
6. Conor Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown/Kilmaley)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)

8. David Reidy (Éire Óg)
9. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)

10. Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
11. Darach Honan (Clonlara)
12. Peter Duggan (Clooney Quin)

13. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
14. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
15. Conor McGrath (Cratloe)

Waterford

1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)

2. Shane Fives (Tourin)
3. Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)

5. Tadhg de Burca (Clashmore / Kinsalebeg)
6. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
7. Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)

8. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)
18. Darragh Fives (Tourin)

10. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
11. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart)
12. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)

13. Patrick Curran (Dungarvan)
14. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
15. Colin Dunford (Colligan)

We’re underway here. Waterford start with the breeze in the first-half.

Waterford 0-0 Clare 0-1

2 mins – Conor McGrath gives Clare an early lead from a free. Difficult to ascertain what positions the players are lining out in so far.

Waterford had 10 bodies inside their own 45 during Clare’s last attack. Very congested in their defence. They had only one man beyond their midfield in that play.

Waterford 0-1 Clare 0-2

6 mins – Tony Kelly lands one over from play to put Clare back in front.

Waterford 0-1 Clare 0-3

9 mins – Conor McGrath judges the wind perfectly and nails his second free of the match. That all came from an excellent Patrick Kelly puckout at the far end.

Goal chance for Waterford! A wonderful sideline ball into the square by Austin Gleeson caused havoc in the Clare area by Patrick Curran. Curran hit the resultant 65 wide.

Waterford 0-2 Clare 0-3

12 mins – Serious movement and pace from Colin Dunford and he splits the posts from the left. Moments later Austin Gleeson hits their fourth and fifth wides of the game in quick succession.

Waterford 0-3 Clare 0-3

17 mins – The sunshine makes a welcome appearance in Semple Stadium as Austin Gleeson levels the game with a free.

Waterford 0-3 Clare 0-6

20 mins – Conor McGrath’s fourth point puts Clare three in front. That’s three quick-fire points for the Banner.

Waterford 0-4 Clare 0-6

21 mins – Curran sails over a free in response for Waterford.

Waterford have hit eight wides inside the opening 25 minutes. Will they rue those misses at the end of the game?

Waterford have two men marking Peter Duggan and they are cleaning up most balls that Clare play into their inside man. At the far end Clare are likewise making their sweeper count.

Tony Kelly is a little bit fortunate to stay on the field after a high challenge on Colin Dunford. He receives a yellow from Brian Gavin.

A viscous exchange of words takes place on the sideline between Davy Fitzgerald and Derek McGrath. Things have really heated up in Thurles.

Waterford 0-5 Clare 0-6

30 mins – Shane Bennett takes over on the frees and makes it a one-point game. Gleeson hits another wide, his shooting has been off so far.

Out of Waterford’s 10 wides, Gleeson has contributed five.

Waterford 0-6 Clare 0-6

34 mins – Bennett fires over a free from the sideline. Scores might be on short supply but its fascinating stuff.

Half-time: Waterford 0-6 Clare 0-7

Waterford 0-6 Clare 0-7

35 mins – Darragh Fives gets a yellow for a foul and McGrath puts over the free. A lot of fouling and frees in this first-half. Twelve wides now for Waterford.

Well all knew this would be a defensive game but this game has certainly lacked in quality. It’s a fascinating game but with just 13 scores between the teams, it isn’t pretty stuff.

Waterford, playing with a strong, swirling wind in the first-half, have hit 12 wides.

Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Clare will be the happier team at half-time. They’re a point up after playing against the wind. You sense Shane O’Donnell could have a big influence if introduced in the second-half.

Waterford 0-6 Clare 0-8

36 mins – Conor McGrath has been excellent from frees and it has been the difference between the sides. He puts Clare two in front with another placed ball.

The second-half is back underway in Semple Stadium. Will the game open up a bit after the break?

Waterford 0-7 Clare 0-8

40 mins – Curran brings the gap back down to one. Shane O’Donnell looks like he’s about to be introduced for Clare.

There’s a bit of confusion on the Waterford team as regards who’s supposed to take the frees. Gleeson and Bennett both wanted to take the last one for the Deise. Bennett stepped up and hit it wide.

Devine hits Waterford’s 17th wide as his shot tails off wide at the right post.

Goal chance for Conor McGrath but Stephen O’Keefe saves well at his near post.

Maurice Shanahan has emerged back from the Waterford dressing room. Looks like we could be seeing him soon.

Shane O’Donnell arrives onto the field for Clare. Tom Devine comes in for the Deise.

Waterford 0-8 Clare 0-10

50 mins – Gem of a score from Curran. Waterford needed that but Conor McGrath drives over his seventh point immediately at the far end.

Colin Ryan replaces Aaron Cunningham.

Waterford 0-9 Clare 0-11

52 mins – The game is ever so slightly opening up as McGrath puts Clare two points up.

Waterford 0-10 Clare 0-11

54 mins – Bennett lands over a rallying score for Waterford. The Deise have come back very well into this game. We’re set-up for a decent last 15 minutes.

Bennett has been very accurate from open play. One of the few Waterford players playing near his best.

Maurice Shanahan is stripped and ready for action. His brother Dan gives him one last piece of advice on the sideline as Bennett ties up the match at 0-11 each with a free.

Waterford 0-11 Clare 0-11

Both teams struggled from open play, and found it difficult to get ball into the hands of their key forwards.

Waterford 0-12 Clare 0-12

61 mins – McGrath’s free makes it a draw match once again as Aaron Shanaher comes in for Colm Galvin.

Waterford 0-12 Clare 0-11

59 mins – Another free conceded by Clare and Gleeson drills over a marvelous shot into the breeze. Waterford lead.

As we enter the last 10 minutes, don’t forget that extra-time applies here.

Waterford 0-12 Clare 0-13

64 mins – Dual star Podge Collins wheels away in celebration after firing over the lead score!

Waterford 0-13 Clare 0-14

66 mins – Nerves of steel from McGrath. He puts two between the teams but get Waterford an instant reply through Jamie Barron. The game is still in the melting pot.

Waterford 0-14 Clare 0-14

67 mins – Bennett’s free sets us up for a grandstand finish. Who do you fancy?

Waterford 0-15 Clare 0-14

71 mins – The defending champions hit the lead! Bennett is the scorer off the left-hand side!

Two minutes left…

Savage work-rate by the Clare men to get back and deny Waterford a scoring chance. We’ll have three-minutes of injury-time.

Don’t rule Clare out of this yet.

There’s a real feeling of nervousness in Semple. Tony Kelly goes close to nailing the winning score.

Waterford 0-15 Clare 0-15

73 mins – McGrath does it! We’re level again!

Full-time: Waterford 0-15 Clare 0-15

Stay tuned folks, we’ll have extra-time.

Real controversy in Semple Stadium. We’ll have Hawkeye here in three weeks but Tony Kelly’s shot is waved wide by the umpire despite the protests of the Clare team.

Clare have won a scoreable free. The Waterford players are irate with Brian Gavin for awarding the free. Massive free for McGrath from the left sideline.

Waterford will be dissapointed they didn’t hold out but a draw seems to be a fair outcome.

Replays indicate that Tony Kelly’s ‘wide’ was over the bar. Should Clare be aggrieved they didn’t win this?

A couple of Waterford players have gone down with cramp late in the second-half. Is it a sign that Clare are the fitter team?

Should we see McGrath reintroduce Gleeson for this extra-time?

Plenty of questions to be answered!

First blood in extra-time to Waterford. They win the toss and will play against the breeze for the first 10 minutes of extra-time.

Patrick Kelly saves Clare’s day. A huge goal chance for Tom Devine denied by Kelly. He covered it well and cleared his lines. As you were.

Waterford 0-16 Clare 0-15

ET 2 mins – A wonderful score from Brian O’Halloran puts the Deise in front.

Waterford 0-17 Clare 0-15

ET 3 mins – Tommy Ryan extends Waterford’s lead. An excellent start for Derek McGrath’s side.

Waterford 0-15 Clare 0-18

ET 5 mins – Devine is a horse of a man and he wins a free. Bennett taps it over with minimal fuss.

Waterford 0-18 Clare 0-16

ET 7 mins – A massive score from 50 yards from David Reidy. Jack Browne has been lively for the Banner since his introduction.

Waterford 0-18 Clare 0-17

ET 9 mins – The umpire bends his back and raises the white flag. Tony Kelly brings Clare to within a point. We’ll have one minute of added time.

Podge Collins goes down with cramp. As he gets treatment on the sideline Conor McGrath makes it a draw match from a placed ball. The teams are still inseparable.

Extra-time half-time: Waterford 0-18 Clare 0-18

Here we go. The second-half of extra-time is underway.

Waterford 0-18 Clare 0-19

ET 11 mins – First blood to Clare. Colm Galvin pops one over from the restart. Waterford hit a wide at the far end.

Former Derry footballer Paddy Bradley isn’t impressed.

Bobby Duggan is warming up on the sideline. He’ll see some action very soon.

Waterford 0-19 Clare 0-20

ET 14 mins – Bennett’s free brings us level but Tony Kelly responds to restore Clare’s advantage. Kelly is starting to show well in Thurles.

Waterford 0-20 Clare 0-20

ET 15 mins – Tommy Ryan has made a big impact off the bench. Waterford tie the match again moments after Stephen O’Keefe pulls out another top-drawer save.

The fitness levels of both teams must be commended. They’re both still going strong as extra-time nears an end.

Waterford 0-21 Clare 0-21

ET 18 mins – Colm Galvin’s second point in extra-time comes seconds before Philip Mahony’s equaliser. Pauric Mahony comes in for Waterford and he gets a huge round of applause. Can he be the difference? Two minutes left.

Waterford 0-21 Clare 0-22

ET 19 mins – And that might be the winner from Colin Ryan! One minute left and we’re in for a frantic final 60 seconds.

There’s one minute of added-time left in this game. Clare lead by one…

Waterford have a free from about 70 yards out. It surely will be the last puck of the game. Maurice Shanahan stands over it. It’s all come down to this.

IT’S OVER THE BAR! What a finish!

Full-time (AET): Waterford 0-22 Clare 0-22

Shanahan was the coolest man in the stadium, doing the business from the last second free to bring this one to a replay. Extraordinary effort for both teams.

The replay will take place in Thurles at 3.30pm next Sunday.

That’s all from me. Thanks for joining!