It’s do or die down by the Lee today.

It’ll be the end of the line for either Wexford or Clare for the summer and of course, we have the Davy Fitz plotline to enjoy too.

Throw in is 3pm in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. How do you see this one going?

“We have a culture of constant learning and improvement and we feel we’re in great shape” Clare boss, Gerry O’Connor told Marty Morrissey.

And the Fitzy factor?

“It’s something that won’t impact on either set of players and our sole focus is putting in a top-class performance.”

Michael Lyster makes reference to Marty’s shorts by the way, in the wake of this very enjoyable piece in today’s Irish Times. 

Davy looks tuned in, as you’d expect: “We’ve come here prepared for battle,” he says on RTÉ.

“I had a great five years but today we have to go at each other. That’s the way it has to be.”

Here are your teams :

Clare:

1. Donal Tuohy

2. Patrick O’Connor
3. David McInerney
4. Jack Browne

5. Seadna Morey
6. Conor Cleary
7. Jamie Shanahan

8. Colm Galvin
9. Cathal Malone

10. Peter Duggan
11. Tony Kelly
12. David Reidy

13. Podge Collins
14. John Conlon
15. Shane O’Donnell

Wexford

1. Mark Fanning

2. Damien Reck

3. Liam Ryan

4 Conor Firman

5. Paudie Foley
6.Matthew O’Hanlon

7. Diarmuid O’Keeffe

8. Kevin Foley

9. Shaun Murphy

10. Rory O’Connor

11. Aidan Nolan

12. Liam Og McGovern

13. David Dunne

14. Lee Chin

15. Conor McDonald.

Derek McGrath is some addition to the world of punditry.

He’s between Cyril Farrell and Eddie Brennan in Cork and is currently analysing Davy’s systems.

It’ll be interesting to see hoe many click through the turnstiles this afternoon with the location and timing of the game the subject of some criticism this week.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Structure v instinct? Derek McGrath is all about balance:

We’re up and running.

Wexford open to scoring through Damien Rack before Tony Kelly goes up the other end to open this account.

Lee Chin is fouled but Rory O’Connor sends the free wide.

It looked like we might have our first no-Hawkeye-turned-on-in-Cork controversy but the ref went in to talk to the keeper rather than his umpires.

He wants the netmiders to wait for his whistle before puck outs.

Poor enough Seadna Morey wide when he might have taken another option. John Conlan is blocked down and breaks his hurley moments later.

Rory O’Connor atones for his first free miss with a perfect effort and Wexford go ahead again.

Clare nose themselves in front. Seadhna Morey makes no mistake on the run to level it and then Peter Duggan sends over a free.

Shane O’Donnell is wide awake as a Peter Duggan free comes back off the post and he’s alert enough to gather and send between the posts, despite pressure.

Business just picked up.

Wexford point from another free for Rory O’Connor while Colm Galvin has his name taken.

David Reidy drives into space and pops it over meanwhile for Clare before Tony Kelly adds another. Double scores all of a sudden.

Clare 0-6 Wexford 0-4 Gorey man Conor McDonald does well to gather the ball, swivel and dispatch it over the bar.

Clare’s Cathal Malone shoots from the shadows by the sideline and makes no mistake.

Tony Kelly is in the middle of everything today. He’s added another point to the Banner’s tally.

Clare 0-10 Wexford 0-5 Straightforward free again for Pete Duggan and there’s a bit of daylight between the sides. and as I type, David Rediy sends the Wexford puck out back where it came from and over the bar.

Donal O’Grady makes the good point that Davy’s set-up isn’t designed to come back from behind really.

Rory O’Connor tries to keep Wexford in touch with a point from a free before Tony Kelly scores his fourth of the day. He’s momentarily off the pitch now with a blood injury.

Jack Browne is yellow carded for a ‘tactical foul’ – Rory O’Connor takes his free.

Jack Conlon launches an effort over his shoulder from way out for the score of the day so far. Half an hour on the clock.

Clare 0-13 Wexford 0-7 Conor McDonald collects a high ball and scores well. Shane O’Donnell makes the most of a ball inside to take a point.

Rory O’Connor scores his fifth point of the afternoon from a free.

Peter Duggan makes no mistake once again with a free and Clare have a healthy lead as we head for half time.

The Clare forwards put the pressure on, combine well and ultimately Podge Collins takes the pass and pops it over.

Conor McDonald meanwhile scores his third of the day for Wexford.

Peter Duggan scores the last of the half for Clare with a facile free.

HALF TIME: Clare 0-16 Wexford 0-9

The Banner put in an impressive first period and look well in control. Can Davy mastermind a comeback to extend Wexford’s summer?

Wexford have to ‘go out and hurl according to Cyril. “They’re fluting around there. They have to go for it. There’s no standing back now.”

Here we go again. This should be great…

Diarmuid O’Keeffe gets the all-important first score of the second half and Wexford will be glad to get into double figures.

Clare 0-16 Wexford 0-11 Boom. Lee Chin with a great score and there’s a few fist pumps to go with it.

Shane O’Donnell with Clare’s first point of the half stems the Wexford flow.

Yellow card for Clare’s Conor Cleary and he might count himself lucky after a bit of a pull of the hurley on O’Hanlon by the sideline.

“The exchanges are becoming championship” says Marty.

Peter Duggan picks off another point and Clare are stretching Wexfordback there. The pace of the game has cranked up big time.

Clare’s Jack Browne and David McInerney with Rory O’Connor of Wexford. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Another simple free for Rory O’Connor. Looked a soft decision against Banner skipper Pat O’Connor.

Great point off his right from Peter Duggan but Wexford’s Shaun Murphy replies with a good effort of his own immediately.

Clare 0-20 Wexford 0-14 Rory O’Connor metronomically sends over another free but that man Tony Kelly relies from play.

John Conlan as his name taken but the subsequent free is missed.

We saw the Wexford brains trust confer on the sideline and seconds later Jack O’Connor is on for Aidan Nolan.

Conlan tears away from Ryan, pulls the handbrake and blasts the sliothar over the black spot.

The attendance figure is in:

It all opened up for Wexford there but O’Connor was well challenged and crowded out with a goal opportunity on the cards. That could have been a game changer.

Clare 0-22 Wexford 0-14. Peter Duggan nails a free for Clare.

The sands are running out for Wexford and Davy has shuffled his pack once again; Harry Kehoe is on for Kevin Foley. Colm Galvin is off for David Fitzgerald meanwhile.

GOAL FOR WEXFORD! Conor McDonald raises the green flag.

Podge Collins replies to that goal — which came from nothing — with a point for Clare.

David Reidy trots off and Ian Galvin is on for the Banner.

Rory O’Connor taps over another point from a free. David McInerney is booked.

Moments earlier Donal Tuohy made a brilliant save to deny Wexford another goal.

Rory O’Connor scores his ninth of the day but this, from play and on the run, is his best of the day.

Two bad wides from way out for Wexford in quick succession. 64 minutes elapsed and four points in it.

Willie Devereux races into the fray with Diarmuid O’Keeffe clocking out for Wexford.

Rory O’Connor raises a white flag — despite protests — and there’s a single score in this! Three minutes plus whatever left.

‘Shane O’Donnell is his name, scoring is his game’ says Marty. They needed that one.

Ian Galvin lofts over a big point for the Banner and we’re back to a five-point gap with a minute or two to go.

Clare 0-26 Wexford 1-17 What a point from man-of-the-match candidate John Conlan. As I type, Conor McGrath reprises that for the Banner and this game is in the bag.

RED CARD: Rory O’Connor gets the line deep into garbage time.

FULL-TIME: Clare 0-27 Wexford 1-17 

So that’s the end of the road for Wexford while Clare are back to Croke Park for the first time in five years.

They’ll face Galway at HQ in what is a mouth-watering match-up.

What did you make of all that?