Clare keep juggernaut rolling as Tipperary fall just short once again

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.

For Tipperary, this was the return of that uneasy feeling that has pervaded each of their last three seasons. Since the 2013 Division 1 final, each of their exits from the league, provincial and All-Ireland championships, have come by three points or less.

Eight defeats by the bare minimum or close to it.