Afternoon all and welcome along to our coverage of the 2024 Munster senior hurling final.

We’re building up to the showdown of Limerick and Clare, third successive year this pair have met at this stage.

Throw-in at FBD Semple Stadium is 4pm.

So what’s the backdrop to this game?

It’s all about Limerick’s dominance and a chance to create history by landing their sixth Munster title in a row. It’s never been done before in the province, Cork coming closest back in 1980.

In contrast Clare are starved of success, it’s 26 years since they won this championship. The core of their team lost the 2017 and 2018 finals to Cork, while their current group have endured recent pain at this stage, losing to Limerick by 1-29 to 0-29 after extra-time two years ago in Thurles, and defeated 1-23 to 1-22 by the same side twelve months ago at the Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick players out warming up before the game. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Clare manager Brian Lohan. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Team News…

We’ll keep you informed of any late changes but here’s the selections that were announced during the week.

Clare name Tony Kelly on the bench.

Clare

1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)

2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown), 4. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)

5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. David McInerney (Tulla)

8. David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona)), 9. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)

10. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge, 11. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 12. Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)

13. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), 14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg)

Subs:

16. Cian Broderick (Clarecastle), 17. Conor Leen (Corofin), 18. Paul Flanagan (Ballyea), 19. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge), 20. Ian Galvin (Clonlara), 21. Paddy Donnellan (Broadford), 22. Tony Kelly (Ballyea), 23. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), 24. Shane Meehan (Banner), 25. Robin Mounsey (Ruan), 26. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle).

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

And two late changes in for Clare.

Conor Leen is introduced to the defence for Rory Hayes, while Tony Kelly starts instead of David Reidy.

Throw-in delayed for the Munster hurling final until 4.30pm due to a power cut in Thurles.

• Munster final throw-in delayed by half hour due to power cut in Thurles

“Unfortunately, we had a serious power outage in the whole area of Thurles in the last hour, and that has obviously affected the stadium here in Thurles as well,” explained Munster Council PRO Dermot Lynch, when speaking to RTÉ’s The Sunday Game.

“We’ve met with all the stakeholders, the Gardaí, the event controllers and obviously the senior executive of the Munster Council.

“We made the decision in the interest of health and safety that we will put back the game for 30 minutes to make sure everyone just gets into the ground safely.

The teams are back out on the pitch now as they resume their warm-up.

So the waiting game is over and we’re almost good to go. Moments away from throw-in in Thurles.

Cork’s Colm Lyons is the referee.

1 min - Game on and early wide for Limerick as William O’Donoghue delivery rolls harmlessly wide.

2 mins - Clare respond with a wide of their own, Tony Kelly’s sideline veers off target.

3 mins - First free of the day for Aidan McCarthy and he knocks it wide after Peter Duggan was fouled.

4 mins - Diarmaid Byrnes the next up with a shot and his free from distance for Limerick adds to the wide tally.

Limerick 0-1 Clare 0-1

5 mins - The scoring impasse is broken. A point from play by David Reidy for Limerick, a free slotted by McCarthy for Clare.

Clare 0-2 Limerick 0-2

6 mins - Big shift there, Shane O’Brien with sight of goal of Limerick but he shoots under pressure from John Conlon and Eibhear Quilligan scoops clear. Clare go downfield and David Fitzgerald splits the posts. Then Byrnes steps up to nail a free for Limerick. All square again. 

Clare 0-3 Limerick 0-3

8 mins - Brilliant effort by Shane O’Donnell over his shoulder from the left wing, then a Conor Cleary foul on Aaron Gillane is penalised, the Patrickswell man slots the free.

Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Clare 0-4 Limerick 0-3

10 mins - Tony Kelly off the scoring mark for Clare.

Clare 0-5 Limerick 0-4

12 mins - William O’Donoghue robs Peter Duggan of the ball, the finish by Tom Morrissey off the break is accurate. Clare counter immediately with Kelly’s second point.

Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-5

15 mins - Aidan McCarthy is fouled and converts the free, Limerick’s reply is swift courtesy of Declan Hannon.

Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-6

17 mins - Diarmaid Byrnes brings the teams level but then a potentially big moment, a clearcut goal chance for Clare yet Aidan McCarthy unleashes a drive that Nickie Quaid is equal to.

Limerick 0-7 Clare 0-6

19 mins - A Gillane free nudges Limerick in front. Three without reply for Limerick.

Limerick 0-8 Clare 0-7

22 mins - Kyle Hayes with a terrific score for Limerick, Clare stem the tide as McCarthy supplies a pointed free. Temporary sub for Limerick as Conor Boylan replaces Hegarty.

Limerick 0-9 Clare 0-7

23 mins - Hannon again for a Limerick team proving more economical than Clare so far.

Limerick 0-10 Clare 0-8

25 mins - Gillane and Fitzgerald trade points.

4-2 on the wide count in favoour of Clare right now.

Limerick 0-10 Clare 0-9

26 mins - Clare hanging in contention as Kelly clips over his third point.

28 mins - Freetaking issues cropping up for Clare as McCarthy can’t find his range once more.

28 mins - Yellow card for Cathal Malone, high tackle on William O’Donoghue.

Limerick 0-12 Clare 0-9

30 mins - Byrnes from a free and Reidy from play. Limerick stretch out to three ahead again.

Limerick 0-13 Clare 0-9

33 mins - A let off for Clare as Gillane misses a fee but Shane O’Brien makes no mistakes in the next phase of play for a tidily-struck Limerick score. Clare miss another opening from a placed ball, McCarthy’s effort strikes the upright and is cleared.

Limerick 0-13 Clare 0-10

35 mins - Vital score for Clare, a third of the day for David Fitzgerald.

Goal for Clare from Peter Duggan!

Half-Time: Limerick 0-13 Clare 1-10

A huge boost for Clare going in at half-time as Duggan is alert to the break after Nickie Quaid flicks the ball clear. First goal of the game brings the Banner level after a half where Limerick had grown in prominence. Back shortly for the second-half action!

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The second-half action has resumed.

Limerick 0-15 Clare 1-10

37 mins - A rapid start to the half for Limerick. Shane O’Brien is fouled and Gillane knocks over the free, then O’Brien gets in on the scoring act from play.

Limerick 0-17  Clare 1-10

40 mins - The champions are really motoring now. A couple of classy points from Tom Morrissey and Cathal O’Neill. The gap is out to four.

Limerick 0-18 Clare 1-12

42 mins - Clare get some scoring joy, a brace of points from Aidan McCarthy, one from play and one from a free. Yellow card for Conor Cleary for a pull at Aaron Gillane, Limerick’s marksman taps over the free.

44 mins - The wind is proving tricky for Clare as Tony Kelly’s shot from distance is off target with a free. Placed balls not proving an area of profit for them today.

Goal for Limerick from Gearoid Hegarty!

Limerick 1-18 Clare 1-12

46 mins - Suddenly it’s a six-point game. Clare couldn’t make the ball stick in the half-forward line, Limerick countered and when the ball spilled loose in behind, Hegarty got their first ahead of the advancing Eibhear Quilligan, whipping the ball into the far corner of the net. 

Limerick 1-18 Clare 1-13

50 mins - Badly-needed score for Clare as Aidan McCarthy notches a point from a free

52 mins - No luck from the opposite wing for Clare as McCarthy can’t convert this free.

Limerick 1-19 Clare 1-13

53 mins - Tom Morrissey clips over a score and the margin is back out to six again.

Limerick 1-19 Clare 1-14

54 mins - A fourth score of the day for Dvaid Fitzgerald, a source of consistent scoring inspiration for Clare today.

Limerick 1-20 Clare 1-14

55 mins - Clare cough up possession cheaply, Kyle Hayes plays it up the wing to Hegarty and he rifles over a point.

Limerick's Shane O'Brien and Clare's John Conlon. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Limerick 1-20 Clare 1-15

57 mins - McCarthy trims the gap to five, tapping over a close-range free.

57 mins - Huge moment! Clare intercept Limerick in defence, Tony Kelly spies Mark Rodgers in space but his effort for goal clips the post and goes to safety for Limerick.

58 mins - Another chance goes abegging for Clare, Kelly in space at midfield is off target.

Limerick 1-20 Clare 1-16

59 mins - And now Clare do get a score, McCarthy from play after great work initially from Rodgers and O’Donnell.

Sub: Clare bring in David Reidy for Darragh Lohan.

62 mins - A Diarmaid Byrnes long-range free tails wide for Limerick. Ian Galvin on for Clare for Aidan McCarthy, Conor Boylan replaces Cathal O’Neill on the Limerick team.

Limerick 1-22 Clare 1-16

64 mins - Points by Byrnes and Adam English, suddenly Limerick are six clear again.

Limerick 1-22 Clare 1-18

64 mins - O’Donnell wins a puckout for Clare, feeds Duggan and he smashes over a score. Ian Galvin follows it up with another score.

Sub: Rory Hayes in for Clare for Conor Cleary.

Limerick 1-24 Clare 1-18

67 mins - Limerick’s interplay is sharp and the move culminates in Kyle Hayes pointing. Then Gearoid Hegarty bangs over one from distance.

Limerick 1-24 Clare 1-19

69 mins - Mark Rodgers clips over a free for Clare.

Limerick 1-24 Clare 1-20

70 mins - Another pointed free for Rodgers.

Limerick 1-25 Clare 1-20

73 mins - Gillane slots over a pointed free for Limerick.

Full-Time: Limerick 1-26 Clare 1-20

Limerick are deservedly crowned Munster senior hurling champions, a historic achievement as they seal six-in-a-row. 

Once Hegarty’s second-half goal went in, they were always in the driving seat. Clare were unfortunate to see Mark Rodgers attempt on goal hit the post, that was the moment which might have ignited a revival.

Instead they must head to the All-Ireland quarter-finals for a third successive year after losing a Munster final.

Thanks for joining our coverage today, keep an eye out later for Declan Bogue’s report, reaction and analysis from Thurles.