Clare maintained their unbeaten National League run with an impressive nine-point win over Dublin that secured them top spot in Division 1B and with it, a place in the semi-final of the competition they last won in 2016.

Great fun. Great, messy, imprecise fun, with a draw a fair result.

There was a mix of driving rain and wind as well as thunder and lightning in Ennis but it couldn’t prevent Clare from picking up where they left off against Wexford for a routine win that keeps up their 100% record in this year’s National League.

There was no handshake between the managers when this ended.

There are six changes to the Cork side for this evening’s Allianz HL Division 1 Group A clash with Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (7pm).

It’s not that Clare’s opening salvo in this year’s National League was a box-ticking exercise, but as soon as the final whistle sounded to signal this facile 16-point victory it’s safe to say that everyone of a saffron and blue hue was moving towards next Sunday’s mouth-watering clash with Wexford.

As expected Clare opened their National League campaign under new manager Brian Lohan in impressive fashion as they eased to a comprehensive 16-point victory over Colm Bonnar’s Carlow in Ennis.

The Rebels’ team includes Colm Spillane, who made his return to red-and-white in Tuesday night’s Canon O’Brien Cup game against UCC at the Mardyke after missing 2019.

Kiely is looking towards the end of January as much as next weekend’s Munster League final against Cork.

That 2020 campaign will officially begin this Sunday with the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League game against Clare at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh, which will be broadcast live on the Irish Examiner Sport Facebook page.

Limerick posted a predictably straightforward victory in this Allianz Hurling League Division One quarter-final on Saturday evening.

LIT have booked a home quarter-final in the Fitzgibbon Cup following a 3-22 to 0-8 victory over Trinity College in Moylish.

Limerick Institute of Technology advanced to the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals after a 4-24 to 0-12 win over Garda College at LIT.

A crowd of 3,224 is not what you expect for a first-round Munster SHL fixture on a cold and, at times, wet evening in mid-December. Then again, this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pre-season blowout.

Meanwhile, Tipperary hurling manager Michael Ryan has handed a first league start to corner-forward Cian Darcy.

The honours went to Waterford in this Allianz Hurling League Division 1A clash at Walsh Park yesterday, but it is important to note Clare were already guaranteed a quarter-final (pitted against Limerick).

Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford put paid to his native county’s perfect start to Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League on Sunday afternoon courtesy of an impressive and dominant second-half performance.

Limerick remain on course for a winner take all final league game with Galway on March 4 after John Kiely’s side made it three from three with a comfortable win over Dublin at the Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick 1-26 Dublin 0-17: Limerick maintained their 100% record in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B by comprehensively beating Dublin 1-26 to 0-17 at the Gaelic Grounds.

The Tipperary team to face Wexford in tomorrow’s Allianz Hurling League shows five changes from the side which overcame Waterford the weekend before last.

Offaly’s devastating performance against Dublin at Croke Park in the first round of the Allianz Hurling League was a distant memory yesterday as they were swatted aside by Limerick at Bórd na Móna O’Connor Park.

Clare 4-17 Cork 0-18: The Munster Council have brought forward the Munster SHL final between Clare and Limerick by one week to avoid the counties meeting on successive weekends.

Clare 3-18 Dublin 0-19

Clare took a massive step away from the relegation zone in Div 1A with this narrow victory over Dublin.

Mary Immaculate 0-19 Limerick IT 0-14: Mary Immaculate manager Jamie Wall played down the favourite’s tag that has been thrust upon his side, but after Aaron Gillane fired them to a Fitzgibbon Cup derby win over LIT, the manager is confident his side can cope with any pressure that comes their way against IT Carlow.

LIMERICK IT 1-20

Limerick IT 2-11, DCU 0-15: Limerick IT completed something of a smash-and-grab victory over DCU-Dóchas Éireann last night, with two second-half goals rescuing a three-point win for Davy Fitzgerald’s side.

Cork 0-19 Clare 0-15: Cork’s fourth win of the Co-Op Superstores.ie Munster SHL denied Clare a place in this Sunday’s decider.

GAA Interprovincial hurling final

Limerick 1-24 Westmeath 0-18: Plenty of questions have been asked of Limerick since they crashed out of the Munster championship at the hands of 14-man Tipperary, but after another test of their mettle in Mullingar, Limerick are just one win from an All-Ireland quarter-final.

Tipperary were made to regret an awful display of free-taking as a 67th minute goal by substitute Aaron Shanagher sealed a Division 1 semi-final date with Kilkenny.

Clare 1-19 Limerick 0-18: All gory, no glory in Ennis as a wretch of a Division 1B “final” saw Clare ascend to Division 1A 12 months after they fell out of it, leaving Limerick marooned in the second tier of the competition for a seventh season.

Clare 2-28 Kerry 1-9: Sometimes you wonder if things happen by design or default in Clare but the unveiling of their €2.1m stand could not come at a better time next Sunday when a bumper crowd is expected at their Cusack Park HQ when the host rivals Limerick in a battle for promotion to the top flight of the Allianz Hurling League.

Offaly 0-14 Limerick 1-19: Limerick’s Shannonside derby clash with Clare in a fortnight’s time will be a promotion showdown regardless of results next weekend after Limerick eased to an eight-point win over Offaly at O’Connor Park in Tullamore yesterday.

Jackie Tyrrell makes his first since last year’s Leinster final as one of five changes to the Kilkenny side for tomorrow’s Allianz HL Division 1A clash with Galway at Nowlan Park tomorrow (2pm).

Mary I 1-30 UL 3-22: Eamonn Cregan fought back the tears. After 23 years of service, Saturday was his final afternoon in the Mary I corner.

Mary I 0-11 LIT 0-9: The Mary I management cut a somewhat perplexed bunch at the final whistle.