Tipperary’s aspirations of securing a Munster semi-final berth have been dealt a massive blow with free-taker Shane Hennessy ruled out with cruciate ligament damage.

Clare 3-13 University of Limerick 1-13

Clare 2-18 Limerick 0-18

Cratloe 1-14 Inagh/Kilnamona 0-14

WHEN Sixmilebridge overcame Cratloe in the Clare senior hurling semi-final, the focus fell on veteran keeper Davy Fitzgerald who, despite being out of the game for a number of years, answered an emergency call and showed he had lost little of the nerve and catlike reactions that had seen him win two All-Irelands with Clare in the mid-90s.

DAVY FITZGERALD is the only candidate in the race to be appointed Clare senior hurling boss ahead of tonight’s county board meeting at the West County Hotel in Ennis.

ALL-IRELAND Colleges hurling champions DLS Waterford supply six players to the county team for tomorrow night’s Munster MHC semi-final against Cork in Walsh Park.

THE Limerick team to play Clare in the ESB Munster MHC semi-final qualifier in Cusack Park tonight (6.30pm), shows six changes from the team trounced by Cork in the first round.

HOLDERS Cork will field seven of the squad which trounced Limerick in last year’s provincial final in tomorrow night’s opening round of the ESB Munster Minor Hurling Championship at the Gaelic Grounds (6.30).

DARAGH EGAN will be hoping for a second victory over Cork in three days when the Tipperary minor footballers play the Leesiders in the Munster championship semi-final at Kilmallock tomorrow night (7.30pm).

THERE are three first round games down for decision tonight in the Munster minor hurling championship and for the first time in the competition the losers will have a second chance.