Afternoon all and welcome along to our coverage of today’s hurling league showdown at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick taking on Clare.

Here are the starting teams today:

Clare

1. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen)

2. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber – captain)
3. Conor Cleary (St Josephs Miltown)
4. Jack Browne (Ballyea)

5. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
6. David McInerney (Tulla)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)

8. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
9. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)

18. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
11. John Conlon (Clonlara)
12. David Reidy (Éire Óg Inis)

13. Conor McGrath (Cratloe)
14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
15. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Inis)

Limerick

1. Nicky Quaid (Effin)

2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Seamus Hickey (Murroe Bohe)
4. Richie English (Doon)

5. Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare – captain)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)

8. Paul Browne (Bruff)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)

10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)

13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Barry Murphy (Doon)

Galway’s Alan Kelly is the referee for this one.

The winners of this will face Dublin and Tipperary at the semi-final stage, that game was twice postponed in the last 24 hours.

Wexford against Galway was also postponed but Kilkenny and Offaly did go ahead earlier today with the Cats prevailing narrowly after Offaly put up a hugely battling display.

• Kilkenny see off spirited Offaly with two late scores to book hurling league semi-final

Game on at the Gaelic Grounds.

Clare 0-2 Limerick 0-0
Clare straight out of the blocks with Conor McGrath and Tony Kelly knocking over points.

Clare 0-3 Limerick 0-0
Colm Galvin off the mark and now Clare are three to the good.

Aaron Gillane strikes his first free of the day wide for Limerick.

Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-1
Cian Lynch hits over Limerick’s first point but Peter Duggan replies with a converted free for Clare.

Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-2
Instant response by Limerick courtesy of Tom Morrissey.

Clare 0-5 Limerick 0-2
Three points between them again as Tony Kelly points.

Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-2
David Reidy lofts over a fine point as Clare surge clear by four.

Yellow card for Clare’s Jack Browne, still four between them.

Clare 0-8 Limerick 0-2
Then Peter Duggan pushes Clare clear by six points with a pair of converted frees.

Clare 0-9 Limerick 0-2
A seven-point gap as Duggan nails another free.

Yellow card for Limerick’s Diarmuid Byrne for a foul on John Conlon.

Goal for Limerick from Aaron Gillane!

Clare 0-11 Limerick 1-2
Was about to remark on the one-way traffic taking place as Duggan from a ’65 and David Fitzgerald from play increased Clare’s lead and then Limerick received the boost they badly needed. Aaron Gillane got clear, shrugged off the cover and booted the ball to the Clare net.

Clare 0-12 Limerick 1-4
And Limerick eat into Clare’s lead a bit more. Gillane knocking over two frees. Tony Kelly counters by popping over a point for Clare.

Clare 0-12 Limerick 1-5
Paul Browne with Limerick’s latest point, margin down to four now.

Clare 0-13 Limerick 1-5
And Duggan on the mark again with another free that increases Clare’s lead.

Clare 0-13 Limerick 1-7
Limerick will be really happy with that to be only three points adrift. Gearoid Hegarty from play and a free from Gillane cuts the deficit they face.

Half-Time: Clare 0-14 Limerick 1-8

Late scores to conclude the half courtesy of Duggan from a ’65 for Clare and Gillane with a free for Limerick. Just three in it at the break and Limerick will be much the happier with that on the back of a strong second quarter display.

Here’s the first-half scorers for Clare:

Peter Duggan 0-7 (0-5f, 0-2 ’65), Tony Kelly 0-3, Conor McGrath, David Reidy, David Fitzgerald, Colm Galvin 0-1 each.

And here’s the scorers for Limerick:

Aaron Gillane 1-4 (0-4f), Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty, Paul Browne 0-1 each.

Second-half action under way.

Clare 0-14 Limerick 1-9
Gillane gets Limerick off the mark in the second half with a pointed free.

Clare 0-15 Limerick 1-9
Tony Kelly floats over a point to put Clare three clear again.

No love lost between these players.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Clare 0-15 Limerick 1-10
A Gillane free and the gap is back to two.

Clare 0-16 Limerick 1-11
Inspirational run by Gearoid Hegarty sees him win a free and Gilliane obliges with the point. Tony Kelly replies for Clare.

Clare 0-17 Limerick 1-11
Duggan nails a free and Limerick are now three adrift of Clare again.

Sub: Colin Ryan replaces Paul Browne on the Limerick team.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Clare 0-17 Limerick 1-13
And Colin Ryan makes a massive impact by contributing a pair of points for Limerick in quick succession.

Sub: Ian Galvin on for Clare instead of his brother Colm.

Clare 0-18 Limerick 1-13
Two in it again, David Reidy on target for Clare.

Goal for Limerick from Aaron Gillane!

Limerick 2-13 Clare 0-18
The home side hit the front! It’s really clever team play. Tom Morrissey gathers a loose Clare clearance around midfield and spots Seamus Flanagan unattended to in attack. He finds him and then Flanagan draws the defender before spraying the ball across to Gillane. The Patrickswell man quickly gathers and strikes to the net as Donal Tuohy races out to challenge him.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Limerick 2-13 Clare 0-19
Level once more as Peter Duggan points for Clare from a free. Conor McGrath off for Clare, Cathal McInerney on.

Limerick 2-14 Clare 0-19
Seamus Flanagan blasts over a point for Limerick as they go in front.

Limerick 2-14 Clare 0-20
Marvellous point by Peter Duggan for Clare from a long-range free.

Limerick 2-15 Clare 0-21
Duggan from play and Hegarty from play swap points.

Goal for Limerick from Pat Ryan!

Limerick 3-15 Clare 0-21
Now that could be a crucial score as Limerick fire home a third goal. Substitute Pat Ryan billowing the net.

Subs: Jason McCarthy on for Clare for David Reidy.

Limerick 3-15 Clare 0-23
The Banner are still in this! Peter Duggan knocks over a free and then is on target from play.

Sub: Podge Collins replaces Cathal Malone on the Clare team.

Clare 0-24 Limerick 3-15
Duggan again, this time from a free, and they’re level!

Clare 0-25 Limerick 3-15
And a 15th point of the day from Peter Duggan puts Clare in front!

Clare 0-25 Limerick 3-16
And the teams are level again, Gearoid Hegarty slotting over a point. One minute of injury time left.

Free for Clare, Ian Galvin fouled in midfield.

Duggan is about 75 yards out, centre of the goal.

Drops short and Limerick clear.

Full-Time: Limerick 3-16 Clare 0-25

Correction at the end there, we had Gearoid Hegarty down for the equalising point, it was Colin Ryan who nailed it.

Hard to argue with this praise of Clare’s Peter Duggan.

Something to note…

We’re set for extra-time to commence at the Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick 3-17 Clare 0-25
And Gillane points a free to get the scoring under way in extra-time.

Limerick 3-17 Clare 0-26
Duggan converts a free for Clare to bring them level.

Limerick 3-18 Clare 0-26
The standard of marksmanship in this game has been superb. Gillane lofts over another free from distance.

Limerick 3-18 Clare 0-27
And all square once more thanks to Clare’s Tony Kelly.

Clare 0-28 Limerick 3-18
Clare hit the front with John Conlon on target off his left.

Sub: Richie McCarthy in for Limerick for the injured Seamus Hickey.

Half-Time in Extra-Time
Clare 0-28 Limerick 3-18

Second-half of extra-time action under way.

Gillane off target from a ’65 as Limerick strive to level the match.

Scores likely to be at a premium now after an energy-sapping encounter for both sides.

And Clare win a free as Shane O’Donnell is fouled.

Clare 0-29 Limerick 3-18
Duggan makes no mistake and that’s a valuable two-point advantage now for Clare.

Long-range effort from Diarmaid Byrnes drops just short and Clare goalkeeper Donal Tuohy can clear.

Yellow card for Cian Lynch for a challenge on Tony Kelly.

Clare 0-30 Limerick 3-18
And Duggan slots over the free after that foul on Kelly. 0-18 now for the Clooney-Quin man!

Oisin O’Reilly and Barry O’Connell in as late Limerick subs.

Gearoid Hegarty and Seamus Flanagan have gone off.

A free driven wide from distance by Diarmaid Byrnes for Limerick.

The wides have racked up for Limerick, 20 so far today.

Conlon shoots for goal but Nickie Quaid saves smartly for Limerick.

Yellow card for Clare’s Podge Collins. Ryan Taylor in for Clare for Ian Galvin.

Gillane blasts a free in from 30 yards out, tipped away for a ’65.

’65 dropped short by Limerick but Clare clear.

So close to a Limerick goal, Colin Ryan is denied on the line!

20 yard free in for Limerick.

We’re deep into injury time.

Byrnes will take it for Limerick.

Fourth goal for Limerick!

So two more periods of extra-time, five minutes apiece.

Full-Time after extra-time: Limerick 4-18 Clare 0-30

So we’re set for more extra-time.

Clare 0-31 Limerick 4-18
And as the floodlights come on, Shane O’Donnell shoots over the opening point of this phase of extra-time.

Clare 0-31 Limerick 4-19
And Gillane knocks over a free in response for Limerick.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Clare 0-32 Limerick 4-19
A Duggan pointed free restores Clare’s advantage.

Limerick 4-20 Clare 0-32
All square again thanks to Diarmaid Byrnes firing over a free.

Second-half of this period of extra-time is under way.

Tony Kelly off for Clare, Mikey O’Malley is on.

Clare 0-33 Limerick 4-20
John Conlon puts Clare ahead!

Niall Deasy in for Clare for Podge Collins.

Free in for Limerick!

Limerick 4-21 Clare 0-33
Gillane levels it!

Result: Limerick 4-21 Clare 0-33 – free taking competition to decide this!

So both teams will get five frees from the 65-yard line. This is going to be really exciting.

It’s been an epic clash so far.

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Colin Ryan, Tom Morrissey, David Reidy, Aaron Gillane and Diarmaid Byrnes the five free takers for Limerick.

Clare have Peter Duggan, David Reidy, Jamie Shanahan, Niall Deasy and Ian Galvin lining these up.

First up is Peter Duggan for Clare.

And he points it.

Gillane to hit one for Limerick and he converts it.

Clare 0-1 Limerick 0-1

Next up Niall Deasy, a late sub on for Clare.

Clare 0-2 Limerick 0-1
And he scores it.

Limerick 0-2 Clare 0-2
Colin Ryan points for Limerick, all square again.

David Reidy to strike for Clare.

And he’s on target.

Clare 0-3 Limerick 0-2

Clare 0-3 Limerick 0-3
And Byrnes scores for Limerick to bring them level.

Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-3
Ian Galvin points to put Clare ahead.

Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-4
And Limerick’s David Reidy is on target.

Clare 0-5 Limerick 0-4
And Jamie Shanahan points for Clare.

Clare 0-5 Limerick 0-5
Tom Morrissey points for Limerick.

And we’re going to sudden death.

Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-5
And Duggan converts his in sudden death.

Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-6
And Gillane scores for Limerick.

And Niall Deasy misses for Clare!

Chance for Colin Ryan to win it for Limerick.

And Colin Ryan scores it!

Limerick through to hurling league semi-finals after free-taking shootout win over Clare!

A quite epic encounter finally concludes and it’s Limerick through to the league semi-finals.

That’s all from us, thanks for joining in.