It has taken two games, but with this win at floodlit Gaelic Grounds last night, Clare finally booked their berth in the Waterford Crystal SH Tournament semi-final, and an early competitive meeting on Sunday for manager Davy Fitzgerald against his old team, Waterford.

IT may not have been a footballing classic but few in Monaleen will complain after successfully defending their Limerick SFC crown at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

IT may not have been a footballing classic but few in Monaleen will complain after successfully defending their Limerick SFC crown at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

UNLIKE the Division One final, there are no medals for history-makers but this Dublin team yesterday didn’t need them to realise they have become pioneers of the game in the capital.

MILFORD ended Fermoy’s IHC title ambitions on Saturday night after they edged the north Cork side in a tough, stuttering 60-minute encounter at Kildorrery.

Dublin 3-13 Limerick 0-18

LIMERICK senior hurling manager Donal O’Grady has made two changes in personnel from the team that started against Antrim for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Dublin at Semple Stadium.

LIMERICK took another small step on their road to redemption when they hammered 14-man Antrim by 19 points at Parnell Park last Saturday night to book an All-Ireland quarter-final date with Dublin.

Antrim 0-12 Limerick 3-22

WATERFORD manager Davy Fitzgerald has made three changes for Sunday’s Munster SHC final against Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh from the side that defeated Limerick at the semi-final stage.

Limerick 1-22 Wexford 2-13

FERMANAGH captain Barry Owens has sensationally claimed there were county board officials wishing the team were going to be beaten by London in last Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier.

LIMERICK have named just two of the starting team that lost to Cork last year for Sunday’s Munster semi-final against Waterford.

GALWAY concluded their championship preparations when a late goal from substitute Eanna Ryan sealed a six-point win at Athenry on Saturday in a game which was played over three 25-minute periods.

THE chances of the Fermanagh footballers’ impasse being resolved quickly rests on the outcome of a meeting of the county board’s management committee on Monday.

LIMERICK’S unblemished record in their new environs of Division 2 of the Allianz NHL was maintained at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday and they remain on course for the lucrative rewards of promotion and a final placing.

DÓNAL ÓG CUSACK returns to the Cork team for the first time this year when Galway visit Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

THE FIRST job Donal O’Grady had to complete when appointed Limerick hurling manager was to dim the public’s horizon and minimise the expectation within the squad, and anyone who attended Saturday’s Allianz National league Division Two encounter with Westmeath won’t need much more convincing that O’Grady’s ‘Limerick project’ is very much in its foetal stages.

Limerick 1-20 Westmeath 0-15

ROUTINE business for Dr Crokes in their opening provincial foray yesterday.

BRENDAN MAHER will make his starting championship debut for Tipperary in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick, after being drafted into the team by manager Liam Sheedy last night.

Limerick 2-18 Dublin 1-17

Wexford 0-14 Limerick 1-13

Limerick 0-17 Waterford 0-25

IN defiance of the dire weather predictions, a large crowd made their way to Castletownroche on Saturday evening for this senior hurling challenge, anticipating perhaps that with time running out to the championship, they would see a real contest between two sides that would be coming close to full strength.

TIPPERARY and Limerick received massive pre-championship boosts last night as cousins Eoin Kelly and Ollie Moran made their first appearances of the 2009 season for their respective counties in a senior hurling challenge.

LIMERICK manager Justin McCarthy introduces James Ryan and Paul Browne for his side’s NHL clash against Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow.

HENRY SHEFFLIN returns to the Kilkenny side for his first appearance of the year in tomorrow’s NHL showdown against Tipperary. Shefflin comes in at centre-forward in place of Willie O’Dwyer, while Ballyhale Shamrocks clubmates TJ Reid and Michael Fennelly are also drafted into the team.

Limerick 1-11 Dublin 0-12

A FEW months ago I purchased a book in the Irish Cancer Society shop on Castle Street, Cork.

Limerick 5-11 Waterford 2-15, Croke Park

Damien Reale will return to captain Limerick in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Clare (Croke Park, throw-in 2pm).

Mike Fitzgerald, Brian Begley and Sean O'Connor are the three new inclusions in the Limerick team to face Tipperary in Sunday's second Munster SHC semi-final replay, Gaelic Grounds, throw-in 3.30pm.

Limerick 3-15 Laois 1-13, Nenagh

Limerick manager Richie Bennis has opted to make five changes to his side for Sunday's battle of the bottom sides in NHL Division 1B.

Having played there during last month's Waterford Crystal Cup, Stephen Lucey will continue to man the full-back role for Limerick's hurlers as they get their National League campaign up and running against Tipperary on Sunday (Nenagh, throw-in 2.30pm).

Ollie Moran, Stephen Lucey and Brian Geary have been slotted back into the Limerick side for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Cork (Thurles, throw-in 4.15pm).

Tipperary 0-22 Limerick 2-12

Patrickswell goalkeeper Brian Murray has regained a starting spot in the Limerick side for tomorrow's Allianz NHL Division 1B tussle with Antrim (Casement Park, throw-in 2pm).

2001 All-Star Mark Foley will make his first start of the National League when Limerick line out against Galway on Sunday (Pearse Stadium, throw-in 2.30pm).

Limerick 1-19 Waterford IT 3-10

St Kieran’s 2-10 St Senan’s 1-12

Henry Shefflin’s nine point-haul guided Kilkenny through to an All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Galway, after Limerick briefly threatened a comeback in front of a Croke Park attendance of 44,438.