*Clare’s John Conlon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’s senior hurlers make the trip to Thurles where a draw or a win over Tipperary will secure their place in the Munster SHC final for the third year in a row.
All teams in the province except Tipperary have something to play for heading into the final round of games. Liam Cahill has made seven changes to their team for the visit of Clare with Brian Lohan and his management naming an unchanged side but further alterations are likely.
4pm is throw-in time in Semple Stadium for Clare versus Tipperary and in TUS Gaelic Grounds for Limerick against Waterford.
As it stands, Clare, Cork, Limerick and Waterford all have a chance of qualifying for the Munster Final but could all also miss out on a top three spot that guarantees progression to the All-Ireland series.
All-Ireland champions Limerick currently top the table on scoring difference ahead of Cork and Clare who are also on four points each, with Waterford on three points.
A draw is enough for John Kiely’s Limerick to secure a place in the Munster Final, but if they lose to Waterford and Clare avoid defeat against Tipperary then they’ll be out of the championship because Cork would move above them on the head-to-head rule.
Waterford can secure a place in the Munster Final if they beat Limerick and a draw would see them finish third if Clare avoid defeat against Tipperary with Cork eliminated on the head to head rule because they lost to Waterford. The Rebels managed by Pat Ryan are not in action this weekend.
If Waterford beat Limerick and Tipperary beat Clare, then Limerick, Clare, and Cork would finish on four points each and in that scenario Clare would be eliminated as they currently have the inferior scoring difference of the three and it would be worsened further by defeat to Tipp. Cork would play Limerick in the Munster Final and Waterford would finish third.
Should Davy Fitzgerald’s Waterford lose to Limerick then they will be eliminated from the championship.
