Good day to you,
We appreciate you tuning into our live blog for the All-Ireland senior hurling championship semi-final of the day between Kilkenny and Clare. Gordon Manning is your guide through the afternoon.
The teams have a rich recent history – with Kilkenny getting the upper hand over Clare at this stage in 2022 and 2023. Yet, Clare has twice triumphed over Kilkenny this season – during the group stages of the National Hurling League and then again in the Division One league finale.
The only occasion Clare bested Kilkenny in the championship was in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final. As it stands, this is their tenth championship clash, with Kilkenny leading seven wins to Clare’s lone victory, and one match ending in a draw out of the previous nine encounters.
Kilkenny holds a unique position as the only team to remain undefeated in this year’s hurling championship.
Although there was significant rainfall overnight here in Dublin, dry and windy conditions have prevailed so far. We hope for the weather to stay as it is for the coming hours.
The officially announced teams for this week are as follows:
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Mikey Carey, Cian Kenny, Paddy Deegan, Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid, John Donnelly, Martin Keoghan, Billy Ryan, Eoin Cody. Substitutes: Aidan Tallis, Conor Delaney, Shane Murphy, Jordan Molloy, Cillian Buckley, Conor Fogarty, Tom Phelan, Walter Walsh, Owen Wall, Conor Heary, Gearoid Dunne.
CLARE: Eibhear Quilligan, Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen, Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney, David Fitzgerald, Cathal Malone, Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan, Aidan McCarthy, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy. Substitutes: Cian Broderick, Rory Hayes, Paul Flanagan, Cian Galvin, Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor, Ian Galvin, Aron Shanagher, Shane Meehan, Keith Smyth, Seán Rynne.