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.

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.

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 Irish Examiner broadcast its first-ever inter-county match live today, with the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League meeting of Tipperary and Clare.

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.

All-Ireland champions Limerick are all but guaranteed of a top-three finish in Munster after this 18-point thumping of Clare.

There has been no wielding of the axe by the Clare management in the wake of last weekend’s 13-point hammering at the hands of Tipperary, with the team named for tomorrow’s game against Limerick showing just one change in personnel.

A Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly-led Clare spoiled Waterford’s Munster championship homecoming to leave the Déise playing a dangerous game of catch-up in the coming weeks.

Aaron Gillane pointed a free in the fifth minute of injury-time to snatch a draw for All-Ireland champions Limerick against the only team to beat them in last year’s championship.

Ennis 21 Cobh Pirates 12: An Ennis squad groomed for stardom before they reached their teenage years came good once again at Thomond Park yesterday when they defeated a splendid Cobh Pirates side 21-12 in the final of the Bank of Ireland Munster U16 club cup final.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Clare 2-21 Offaly 0-15: Davy Fitzgerald’s Bannermen, similar to the under-construction main stand which provided an appropriate backdrop to this Division 1B contest, are very much a work in progress.

Ireland had to dig deep, as late scores from Kerry’s Shane Nolan and Eoin Price of Westmeath helped them to a two-point win over Scotland in Saturday’s Shinty-Hurling International at Croke Park (2-10 to 2-8).

Adare's John Fitzgibbon was the hero for Limerick but Clare were left counting the cost of their indiscipline in a niggly and sometimes ugly Munster quarter-final.

KILKENNY 1-18

A lucky 14-man Clare somehow escaped Cusack Park with the win, largely thanks to goals from John Conlon and Tony Kelly.

Corner-back Tom Fox's point on 80 minutes ensured this dramtic Fitzgibbon Cup final would require a second day out.

Corner-back Tom Fox’s point on 80 minutes ensured this dramtic Fitzgibbon Cup final would require a second day out.

Fitzgibbon Cup Semi-Final

University of Limerick 1-24 GMIT 1-11: Brian Lohan’s UL are now in pole position to top Fitzgibbon Cup Group B after an unanswered 1-9 in the last 11 minutes finally saw them pull clear of GMIT in Limerick yesterday.

UL 2-24 NUI Galway 0-9: UL manager Brian Lohan was delighted with his side’s display in their big Fitzgibbon Cup win over NUI Galway at Dangan yesterday.

Clare 2-20 Waterford 0-17

Hurling-Shinty: Scotland 3-6-4 (23) Ireland 2-3-4 (14)

Cork 2-23 Clare 2-18

Clare 3-19 Dublin 2-18

Tipperary 2-24 Clare 2-17

Laois 2-19 Clare 2-23

Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15

Tipperary 0-20 Clare 4-15

Dublin 2-17 Clare 0-17

Clare 1-16 Kilkenny 0-18

Clare have named 12 of their All-Ireland winning team for tomorrow’s Division 1A league opener against Kilkenny in Ennis.

Clare 2-28 University College Cork 1-04

Mikey Barry clutches tightly his man of the match award and tries to make sense of the past 60 minutes.

Roslea (Fermanagh) 1-12 Ballinagh (Cavan) 0-11