Enda McEvoy examines five lessons to take from the weekend’s action on Leeside...

There was an air of unreality about the whole day. Maybe it was the lack of complaint. There’s nothing normal or natural about it, hearing thousands of people amble about admiring things, especially in Cork.

Michael Ryan knows where every conversation will turn ahead of a return to Croke Park. Tipp’s ongoing difficulties in the full-back line will ensure Cathal Barrett’s name crops up regularly over the coming weeks..

Clare 3-16 Tipperary 0-28: Tipp’s experience was a significant factor in their three-point win over Clare in last Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final, the reigning All-Ireland champions hitting decisive scores in the closing stages of both halves to land a semi-final berth.

Tipp’s experience was vital in Páirc Uí Chaoimh today as they showed all their nous to edge out Clare in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final, hitting five points in the closing stages for a three-point win, writes Michael Moynihan.

Today’s game is all about the opposing full-back and full-forward units, writes Donal O’Grady.

Aaron Cunningham claims Clare must beat Tipperary in Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final for this season to be even considered a good one for the county.

Nobody knows our troubles but God. Not exactly the words of Clare co-manager Gerry O’Connor after this game but close enough.

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

Clare 2-19 - Kilkenny 0-12: You know things aren’t going Kilkenny’s way when Richie Hogan makes way. The sight of the 2014 hurler of the year being called ashore in the 49th minute was a grimacing one for the player as much as the travelling support.

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.

Before the 1995 National League final against Kilkenny, my back was in bits. I wanted to play. I convinced management I was fit to play. I thought we would win. I wanted to lift the cup. 

Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald has revealed that exciting young defender Oisín O’Brien underwent emergency surgery on a punctured lung in an Austrian hospital earlier this month.

That rolling bet between myself and John Mullane is still rolling. I didn’t take the €20 off him yesterday because we are going doubles or quits for the championship match on June 5th.

Maybe it’s because we’re so used to seeing Kilkenny front and centre after most games but it seemed they spent an inordinate amount of time behind their dressing room door on Sunday.

Clare 4-22 Kilkenny 2-19: And the hits just keep on coming.

Clare 2-13 Tipperary 0-18: Are Clare 2016’s version of Waterford 2015 or a model closer to their 2013 selves? They’ll be praying it’s the latter but now 10 from 10 this year they have generated the sort of league momentum that carried their June 5 Munster semi-final opponents last season.

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 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.

There’s no sitting on the fence from Eamonn Sheehy; today’s Munster intermediate hurling final is “the biggest day” in Newcestown’s 56-year history.

Crossmaglen (Armagh) 0-12 Kilcoo (Down) 0-8: Stephen Kernan was the dominant figure as Crossmaglen reached their first Ulster Club SFC final since 2012.

Former Galway manager John McIntyre yesterday revealed captain David Collins, vice-captain Andy Smith and 2014 captain Joe Canning and David Burke as the four players who informed Anthony Cunningham that the squad did not want him to continue as manager.

Clare goalkeeper Patrick Kelly has reiterated the county hurling squad’s faith in manager Davy Fitzgerald.

Tipperary U21 boss TJ Connolly is relishing the opportunity to complete a clean sweep of Munster hurling titles for the Premier County.

Went out for the weekend. It lasted forever.

Clare 3-26 Offaly 0-15

Seamus Harnedy returns to Cork’s starting line-up for their All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Wexford at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday night.

Cork hurling selector Johnny Crowley is expecting a “huge backlash” from Wexford in their first round qualifier meeting on July 4.

Hurling coaches are choking the game to death. What materialised inside the whitewash at Thurles on Sunday reaffirmed my concerns for the game. 

I was in the RTÉ radio booth in the cockpit of the Kinnane Stand yesterday, when the fourth official signalled there would be just one minute of injury-time.

The first half at Semple Stadium didn’t provide a great deal of entertainment, although the second was a distinct improvement.

Clare 2-15 Limerick 1-19: The margins were fine in Thurles even if the hurling wasn’t.

When the guns fell silent yesterday in Thurles, TJ Ryan hit the fourth estate with the perfect exit line: “I’d say ye’ll be writing deep into the night, lads.”

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.

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