Afternoon all and welcome to this afternoon’s coverage of the Munster SHC semi-final between Clare and Tipp in Limerick.

Throw in at a dull Gaelic Grounds is less than 15 minutes’ time, so I’ll shlug the last of the tae and get you the team-sheets.

Let us know your thoughts throughout the afternoon of course.

Those of us who caught the showdown between Armagh and Derry were treated to a wonderful game with the Red Hand running out 3-14 to 1-11 winners.

Could the underdogs pull out a similar performance in a different code and province? Matt Cooper’s TV3 studio guests – including Jamsie O’Connor – don’t seem to think so.

Here’s your teams:

Clare: P Brennan; P Vaughan, C Cooney, C Dillon; P O’Connor, J McInerney, P Donnellan; N O’Connell, J Clancy; J Conlon, F lynch, C McInerney; D McMahon, D Honan, C McGrath.

Tipperary: B Cummins; J O’Keeffe, P Curran, M Cahill; D Young, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; G Ryan, S McGrath; S Callinan, N McGrath, Patrick Maher; E Kelly, J O’Brien, L Corbett.

We’ve been told there’s about 17,000 or thereabouts in attendance. Not so bad.

The band is currently playing the national anthem for those who did make the trip this Father’s Day and we’re about to throw in. Let us know where you’re reading from?

If I can keep one man from arguing with his girlfriend while waiting outside a dressing-room with a smart phone… it’ll all be worth it.

Goal! What a start – Conor McGrath gives Brendan Cummins no chance – as Nicky English says through gritted teeth. Exactly what we needed.

Conor O’Mahony is left hurt after a McMahon clash but it’s a Tipp line-ball rather than a free – and rightly so. This has been frantic so far.

Clare 1-1 Tipp 0-0 And Diarmuid McMahon blocks down another one in front of the posts and taps it over the bar after more good work from the lively-looking  McGrath.

Clare 1-2 Tipp 0-0 McGrath extends Clare’s early lead. Jamsie identified him before the throw-in as one to watch and he’s been proven quite right so far.

The All-Ireland champions are yet to get going.

Clare 1-3 Tipp 0-0 Another one after eight minutes. Fergal Lynch drops one over the bar from way out.

English agrees that his home county are ‘on the back foot’ and ‘in need of a score’.

Clare 1-4 Tipp 0-1 The Premier are up and running now thanks to a gimme of a free from Eoin Kelly. Conor Cooney had picked the ball from the ground to offer his opponents the chance ot open their account.

But as I type, Cathal McInerney makes sure his first shot on goal count. That’s a great reaction from a young Clare side.

Clare 1-5 Tipp 0-2 That was much more like it for Tipp, Seamus Callanan slalommed  goalwards and knocked it over for an important point – but in a familiar pattern, Clare went down the other end and Mickey O’Connell points.

Are those Claremen amongst us daring to dream yet?

Clare 1-6 Tipp 1-3 Is there such a thing as the liveblogger’s curse? Eoin Kelly gets his 19th championships goal for Tipperary after an unconvincing goalkeeping cameo from Brennan.

The side’s then exchange points. This one is bubbling over now.

Clare 1-7 Tipp 1-3 Ah Mr Honan, we’ve been expecting you. Young Darach introduces himself with a neat first point.

He’s a tall lad isn’t he?

Clare 1-7 Tipp 3-3 Goal! x2 This is like a basketball game.

Patrick ‘Bonnar’ Maher struck a lovely goal and then asClare reeled Lar Corbett waltzed through again and put it through the keeper. This game has swung big time.

Tipp 3-3 Clare 1-8 There’s now 21 minutes on the clock and Tipp are one point ahead. I’m exhausted.

Clare 1-9 Tipp 3-3 Conor McGrath – making his championship debut, let’s remember – adds to his personal tally with a pointed free. All square now after 25 minutes.

Tipp 3-4 Clare 1-9 Ah that’s why we’re all here isn’t it? Eoin Kelly jumps, catches, turns and whips a gorgeous over the bar. He ships a tap on the hand for his trouble too.

I’d have do more than that if I was marking Eoin Kelly.

Eoin Kelly himself picks up a yellow for a foul on James McInerney in the centre of the pitch. You’d have to think the Tipp skipper was still fairly annoyed with the knock he took to the hand moments earlier. That incident passed without the ref taking any names.

Tipp 3-5 Clare 1-9 Pádraig Maher launches a massive effort goalwards which sails over for the score of the game, arguably.

There’s 30 minutes on the clock now and Clare ‘s intensity seems to have dropped a few notches.

Tipp 3-6 Clare 1-10 Diarmuid McMahon gets one back for the Banner but seconds later, at the other end, Callanan uses acres of space to flight one over for Tipp.

Tipp 3-7 Clare 1-10 Unbelievable save from Brendan Cummins in blocking a McInerney shot on goal. And in an important swing, the All-Ireland champs go down the other end and tack on a point.

HALF-TIME Tipp 3-7 Clare 1-10

That wasn’t bad was it? After a bright, impressive start from a young Clare side, Tipp have settled and look well in control now.

What’s your verdict?

Things to think about during half-time:

• Clare have had 52% of the possession according to TV3. That’s interesting.
• Will someone please sort out Craig Doyle will some money – the poor guy is in every second advert.
• Will we finish  with a full complement of players? Clare, especially, have brought plenty of ‘physicality’.

The official attendance is 16,700 exactly. Spot on again, Munster Council. Spot on.

Tipp 3-7 Clare 1-11 We’re up-and-running again and, as in the first half, Clare have opened the scoring.

Tipp 3-8 Clare 1-11 Noel McGrath gets the Premier ticking over again in the second period.

Tipp 3-8 Clare 1-12 John Conlon comes through traffic in the centre of the field to take the sliotar and send it over.

And moments later, a Tipperary goal is blown up as Noel McGrath finishes to the net with his foot. Penalty.

Tipp 3-8 Clare 1-12 Eoin Kelly misses it! The Clare defence deflected it up high into the air and when it dropped in the square again it was fired out to safety.

That’s given the Banner faithful a lift in the stands.

Tipp 3-9 Clare 1-12 Pa Bourke is on for John O’Brien while Eoin Kelly dispatches another free.

Nicky English says apart from the goals, Clare have match Tipp and this game is still very much in the balance.

It’s a three-point game with 46 minutes on the clock.

Tipp 3-11 Clare 1-12 Seamus Callanan scores another lovely point. He really is class.

Clare need to up the intensity a bit now as this game seems to be drifting away from them.

Tipp 3-13 Clare 1-12 They’re not All-Ireland champions for nothing, Lar Corbett shows wonderful vision to flight a cross to Noel McGrath who, efficiently, knock it over the bar.

As I type, Callanan scores his fourth point. This seems to be beyond a tired-looking Clare now.

Tipp 3-14 Clare 1-12 John Conlon drops his third point over the bar, while Cormac O’Donovan is on for Nickey O’Connell.

Incidentally, what do people make of this TV3 commentator?

Tipp 3-15 Clare 1-14 Conor McGrath caused havoc in the Tipp defence when he was first to collect a ball that came off the post. He brings his tally to 1-05 when he converts the subsequent free however.

Clare need a goal or two; Kilkenny – and Tipp – are the only sides with any real goal power these days though aren’t they?

Tipp 3-15 Clare 1-15 I’m sick of talking about him; Conor McGrath scores yet another point. This guy will be around for some time to come you feel.

Tipp 3-16 Clare 1-17 We have about nine minutes left on the clock. If Tipp lose this one, they can only blame themselves. They’ve clocked up quite a few wides in this second period (a dozen in total) though Callanan has scored probably his best score of the afternoon. That was quickly cancelled out by Clancy.

English reckons a goal for the Banner would shake his county in the final moments.

Tipp 3-17 Clare 1-17 Pa Bourke gets his first of the day, by my count, before Padraig Maher ensures it’s a seven-point game coming into the home stretch. Clare look out on their feet though.

Tipp 3-18 Clare 1-19 Free in to Clare in a very dangerous spot. Padraic Maher wins man-of-the-match – but he’ll have to defend this from McInerney… it flies over the bar.

Second left in normal time.

Tipp 4-19 Clare 1-19 Another goal for Tipp. Clare seemed to leave the shop completely unattended as they went in search of a goal of their own.

Lar Corbett has all the time in the world to hit under Philip Brennan but when the sliotar came off the butt of the post, Seamus Callanan dragged it home.

FULL TIME Tipp 4-19 Clare 1-19 That’s all she wrote. Predictably, Tipp’s class and experience saw them home but a youthful Clare can take plenty of positives from today. Please do continue to let us know your thoughts in the usual ways.

I’m off for a lie down in a dark room but we’ll be back for another live-blog this evening for Rory McIlroy’s coronatio… final round at Congressional.

What’s the collective noun for liveblogs? A typo of liveblogs? A waffle? A repetitive strain injury of minute-by-minutes?

Who knows. But join us from 8pm, in plenty time for Rory’s emergence.