We are a week into Munster Championship Lent. The 40 days and 40 nights before the start of the Munster SHC on May 12 commenced last Tuesday.

Donal Moloney has seen a lot of hurling in his time, but yesterday in Cusack Park represented something of a first for him.

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.

It wasn’t Seamus Callanan’s goals which were his standout moments on Saturday evening. We’ve seen them before, delightful and all as they are in their delicate craft and deadly execution. What we hadn’t seen was such a relentless work-rate from the no.14.

Clare will face Tipperary in the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL final, having beaten Waterford in Fraher Field, Dungarvan in front of 3,039 spectators.

If you’ve recovered, you may find time to place yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final between Limerick and Cork in the pantheon of great games.

Over half a century ago Harold MacMillan reduced all of politics to those four words. Even now it’ll have to do as a description of Galway-Clare on Saturday evening.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice shipped some criticism last week when he reintroduced Paul Geaney against Monaghan after a disappointing initial foray for the Dingle man.

First All-Ireland quarter-final win in five years. First time heading back to Croke Park in five years. Redemption for a Munster final that didn’t go to plan. Visible progress — at long, long last.

Olive Esler, who handles the social media promotion for The Sunday Game was manic busy throughout yesterday afternoon.

There was a delay in Cork’s return to proceedings after half-time yesterday. They had gone in four points behind, but it could have been more. Cork used the time well at the break and were a different outfit in the second period.

David Reidy is also named to start having had his controversial red card from the Limerick game rescinded.

CLARE 0-26 LIMERICK 0-15: Sometime before the final whistle here, neutrals’ attentions turned to the more dramatic developments in Thurles but the more Clare supporters see of this team of theirs, the more they are convinced of their virtues.

Sometimes why we love hurling gets forgotten or obscured, writes PM O’Sullivan.

I’m led to believe Stephen Cluxton had blood in his mouth following that first-half clash with James McGivney, so the conspiracy theorists won’t be happy.

Cork captain Seamus Harnedy says it’s “on to the next assignment” for him and his team-mates after Sunday’s Munster SHC win over Clare.

I was on co-commentary duty with RTÉ yesterday for the game in Limerick, which the Treaty won impressively. As a result I had to make do with watching the Cork-Clare game on TV, writes Donal O’Grady.

Cork 2-23 Clare 1-21: Is nostalgia ever justified?

That’s why this league is about more than just accumulating points. Because accumulating lessons and experience is often just as important, writes Anthony Daly

Clare 0-23 Cork 0-19: First of all, disregard the scoreline. This was anything but a four-point contest.

Goal drought continues

 Kilkenny 1-18 Clare 2-18... Deep in injury time there occurred arguably the most noteworthy event of a first half full of noteworthy events. Kilkenny scored their first point from play of the afternoon.

Clare goalkeeper Andy Fahy will retain the number one jersey for Sunday’s NHL relegation play-off final against Dublin in Cusack Park.

Kerry, who travel to Dr Hyde Park to face Roscommon in Division 1 of the Allianz FL tomorrow (2pm), have two changes in personnel, as well as a number of positional switches, following their loss to Monaghan.

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.

At half-time, the Cork players and the match officials were left waiting for Clare for a number of minutes in the bitterly cold conditions. 

The 2014 season wasn’t without its fair share of disputes and furore. But just where does the likes of Shane Enright’s non-black card, Parade-gate and Stephen O’Keeffe’s safety-defying save from Anthony Nash rank in the GAA’s biggest on-field Championship controversies since 2000?

Clare 2-20 Waterford 0-17

Clare 2-20 Wexford 3-11

The Clare sideline were extremely agitated an annoyed by some of James McGrath’s first-half decisions at Semple Stadium yesterday.

Cork 2-23 Clare 2-18

It might be time to dial the expectation levels right down for the clash of Cork and Clare today as realistically it just can’t match last September, or can it?

Tipperary 2-24 Clare 2-17

This afternoon, Clare and Tipperary will meet for the third time already this season, with a place in the national league final up for grabs.

Tipperary 0-20 Clare 4-15

Dublin 2-17 Clare 0-17

Manager Brian Cody insisted his Kilkenny panel can take some positives out of yesterday's Division 1A opener against Clare, despite being pipped by a point in Ennis.

Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald was admittedly 'shocked' at the early season fitness levels which helped his side see out a narrow win over Kilkenny in yesterday's Allianz Hurling League opener.

“Shocked” was the reaction of Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald, not at a rare Kilkenny scalp but to the deep reservoirs of energy and effort exhausted by his players in grinding out a one point win.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody conceded the three goal chances squandered by his forward unit were crucial factors in the county’s first competitive defeat to Clare since 2005.

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