*Clare’s Shane O’Donnell in action during last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Nine time All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner Noel Skehan while hoping his native Kilkenny will beat Clare in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final believes “any of the four teams involved in the weekend’s semi-finals can qualify for the final”.
*David Fitzgerald. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill LOSING THE Munster senior hurling final for the second year in a row left “a sour taste” for David Fitzgerald and his Clare teammates but it hasn’t diluted their appetite for glory in the county colours.
Darragh Lohan signs an autograph. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill A FIRST SENOR championship start was the reward for Darragh Lohan as Clare powered past Dublin on Saturday but he hadn’t as much notice as others may like for such a run-out.
Diarmuid Ryan gets away from Cian O’Sullivan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE ARE NOW among the last four teams standing in the race to lift the Liam McCarthy after easily dismantling the Dublin challenge which is dissected in our latest episode of The Water Break.
*Clare captain, Tony Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FOR THE FIRST time in the Clare colours, Tony Kelly netted a hat-trick as back to back All-Ireland semi-final appearances were achieved.
*Clare manager Brian Lohan with selector James Moran. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BEFORE A BALL was pucked on Saturday, Brian Lohan was confident his Clare charges would deliver a performance.
*Tony Kelly hit a hat-trick for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE HAVE MADE the semi-finals of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship for the second year in a row and in the process have set up a rematch with Kilkenny in Croke Park.
*Ian Galvin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill SEADNA MOREY and Ian Galvin start on the Clare senior hurling team in place of Cian Nolan and the injured Aidan McCarthy for Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final.
*Clare captain, Tony Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill AFTER THE FANFARE of the Munster championship, it feels like it’s back to the grind for the Clare hurlers this weekend.
*Seadna Morey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill SEADNA MOREY is in line for a starting role for the first time in this year’s championship.
