A preview of this weekend's match

Limerick v Clare

Sunday, Croke Park, 2.0

On TV: RTÉ 2There will be no mention of Limerick's underachievers tag or of Clare's aging warriors, mainly because both stigmas have been lifted.

Limerick beat Tipperary in the Munster championship and, though beaten in the Munster final by Waterford, retained their pride.

Where once Limerick would have been cowed by the weight of expectation entailed in a visit to Croke Park, they will now relish the opportunity.

Clare were unable to hit the ground running against Cork but victory over Galway in the qualifiers afforded Tony Considine an opportunity to switch the focus back to hurling and away from the off-field bickering

Key voids seemed to have been be filled as Frank Lohan did an uncanny impression of his brother Brian at full back and Gerry Quinn stepped with aplomb into Seánie McMahon's centre-back slot. Quinn got injured against Galway and was replaced by Brendan Bugler.

The under-21 graduate has for some time been tipped as the heir to Seánie. With Ollie Moran breathing down his neck, tomorrow will tell us all we need to know.

Both teams come in with their tails up, Limerick more so than Clare.

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; P Lawlor, B Geary, M Foley; D O'Grady, M O'Brien; M Fitzgerald, O Moran, N Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, K Tobin.

CLARE: TBC.

- Gavin Cummiskey