19.54 – Another well-taken point by Cathal O’Connell following good skill by Conor McGrath to evade his marker and set him up.

At the moment, Waterford simply have no answer to the pace and intensity of this Clare performance.

20.02 – Waterford are making some basic errors and look desperately short of confidence. This could be a long evening from their perspective.

However, as I type, Martin O’Neill has at least registered a point on the brink of half-time, with a free from distance.

20.09 – At half-time, the scoreline in no way flatters Clare. They have been the superior side by far, and would be even further ahead, were it not for Stephen O’Keeffe’s brilliant save (see 19.50). They look sharper and hungrier than their opponents in virtually every area of the field.

Therefore, even with a full half to play, it’s difficult to see how Waterford can find a way back into this game, given the lackadaisical manner in which they seemed to approach the first half.

20.56 – So Clare will play Tipp in the Munster final.

In summary, from the first minute onwards, the outcome of this encounter seldom looked in doubt.

Waterford started the match extremely sluggishly and failed to improve thereafter.

Clare, on the other hand, gave a thoroughly professional display, ruthlessly making their superiority tell, without ever really being tested by their opponents.