TWO MATCHES into the Munster hurling championship and already the times they are a-changin'. Waterford and Cork's exit means the final is already destined to be the first since 2001 with neither of those two teams involved, and Clare and Limerick go into Sunday's second semi-final looking to keep alive their chances of winning a first title in a decade.

Clare's last such honour was in 1998, and Limerick last won two years before that. While Limerick made the Munster final last year, losing to Waterford, Clare surprisingly haven't made the final since 1999. To win it they've both got to get there first, and that's what's at stake in Thurles.

Such statistics are only of mild interest to Tipperary forward Eoin Kelly, who like the rest of his team-mates, is in the happy position of being able to sit back and enjoy Sunday's game, knowing Tipp's place in the final was secured almost two weeks ago with the fine win over Cork.

And like Tipperary, whoever does win on Sunday will still get a breather, with this year's Munster final not set until July 13th, later than usual, to reduce the break before the All-Ireland semi-finals, to which the Munster, and Leinster, champions progress.

While Kelly doesn't have a preference for which team he'd like to play in the final, he does have a slight preference for which team he thinks will win on Sunday: "No, actually, and I've been asked that a few times," he says. "Our first goal has been delivered now, to beat Cork. So whoever comes through on Sunday won't have any bearing on that.

"But I'd nearly fancy Limerick to win, for the simple reason that Clare have been hyped up a bit after their Waterford performance. And the game is down in Thurles, and that hasn't really been a happy hunting ground for Clare the last couple of years. Limerick have done okay down there.

"Limerick are coming in the perfect way. Very quiet. People saying they didn't have a good league. But championship and league are two different things. They're fierce low-key, keeping the head down, and all the emphasis really is on Clare after they scored 2-26 the first day. But Limerick are coming into the game in a nice position. And I'm sure it will be another close game, your typical Munster championship dogfight."

Kelly hardly disguises the feeling that the changing landscape in Munster hurling is a good thing: "Cork and Waterford have dominated the Munster championship for the past five, six years. So obviously there's going to be a new team this year. For us three teams left . . . we all look at it as the best chance.

"The good thing is we have the luxury now of sitting back and watching Limerick and Clare, and can worry about our own preparations after that. Hurling is all about confidence, and we have to take confidence from the Cork game, but we know we have improving to do.

"It's all about winning trophies: straightaway we said that after beating Cork. Trophies are what you want. I know Limerick and Clare see this as their chance as well. But only one team can take it away on July 13th."

Although he still lives a short distance from Thurles, Kelly is unlikely to attend Sunday's game: "We have club games; I don't like going to games anyway, when you're still involved in the championship. You see players doing things, and you're thinking 'how did he do that?' Or a nice touch, at pace. Some of that can knock your confidence."

And at the moment, Kelly's confidence couldn't be much higher.

Meanwhile, Clare captain Brian O'Connell is hopeful Gerry O'Grady and Mark Flaherty will be fit to face Limerick. Corner back O'Grady had the cast removed from his broken hand yesterday and has embarked on a course of physiotherapy. Forward Flaherty has been suffering with a badly bruised hand after receiving a blow while playing with his club Killanena recently.

O'Connell said: "Gerry had the cast off but we don't really know yet if he will be able to play.

"Mark should be okay. He got a slap on the hand which hit the nerves. That's a sore thing and takes two or three weeks to get right. He hasn't done any of the hurling training with us since."