LIVE Kilkenny v Clare updates: All-Ireland hurling semi-final

34mins: Quilligan with another save, this time from a sideline cut by Eoin Cody which bounced dangerously in front of the goal.

32mins: Kilkenny 1-9 Clare 0-8

David Reidy points after a good fetch by Peter Duggan.

31mins: Kilkenny 1-9 Clare 0-7

TJ Reid pops over a free from close range.

30mins: Kilkenny 1-8 Clare 0-7

David Fitzgerald with a great point from long range. Clare needed that.

28mins: Kilkenny 1-8 Clare 0-6

McCarthy makes no mistake with a free from just outside the 45-metre line.

26mins: Kilkenny 1-8 Clare 0-5

Billy Ryan adds a point to extend Kilkenny’s early advantage.

24mins: Kilkenny 1-7 Clare 0-5

GOAL by Eoin Cody. Superb individual strike, one-handed over his head to the back of the net surrounded by four Clare players. Brilliant.

21mins: Kilkenny 0-7 Clare 0-5

Aidan McCarthy from play this time.

20mins: Kilkenny 0-7 Clare 0-4

TJ Reid pops over a free from inside the 45-metre line, out near the Hogan Stand sideline.

16mins: Kilkenny 0-6 Clare 0-4

David Reidy reduces the gap to two.

16mins: Kilkenny 0-6 Clare 0-3

McCarthy sends over a free. His third point, and Clare’s third, of the afternoon.

14mins: Kilkenny 0-6 Clare 0-2

TJ Reid converts the resulting 65.

13mins: Quilligan makes another outstanding save – this time from a one on one situation against Mikey Carey.

12mins: Kilkenny 0-5 Clare 0-2

David Blanchfield gets in on the act as Kilkenny pop over three points on the bounce.

11mins: Kilkenny 0-4 Clare 0-2

Paddy Deegan from downtown.

11mins: Kilkenny 0-3 Clare 0-2

Cian Kenny floats over his second of the day.

10mins: Eibhear Quilligan makes a good double save, especially the first of the two, to deny Kilkenny a goal. The scores remains level on 0-2 apiece.

9mins: Kilkenny 0-2 Clare 0-2

Mark Rodgers has a shot well saved by Eoin Murphy, but it was from an advantage and Aidan McCarthy makes no mistake with the close free to draw the sides level.

6mins: Kilkenny 0-2 Clare 0-1

Aidan McCarthy opens Clare’s account.

6mins: Great score by Cian Kenny. Kilkenny 0-2 Clare 0-0

4 mins: Clare have registered two early wides. Still waiting for their first score.

1min: Kilkenny 0-1 Clare 0-0

TJ Reid converts a free, after winning it himself. Kilkenny lead.

National anthem is playing. We are just moments away from the first All-Ireland SHC semi-final of 2024.

Both sides lining out as selected, it seems. Here’s a reminder of the teams:

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Mikey Carey; Cian Kenny, Paddy Deegan; Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid, John Donnelly; Martin Keoghan, Billy Ryan, Eoin Cody. Subs: Aidan Tallis, Conor Delaney, Shane Murphy, Jordan Molloy, Cillian Buckley, Conor Fogarty, Tom Phelan, Walter Walsh, Owen Wall, Conor Heary, Gearoid Dunne.

CLARE: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan; Aidan McCarthy, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy. Subs: Cian Broderick, Rory Hayes, Paul Flanagan, Cian Galvin, Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor, Ian Galvin, Aron Shanagher, Shane Meehan, Keith Smyth, Seán Rynne.

Joe Canning feels it is make or break for Clare today.

[ Joe Canning: Clare are in the last-chance saloon if this team is to win an All-Ireland ]

Clare wearing all blue today.

Seán Moran previews both semi-finals and makes his predictions on who he believes will advance to the decider.

[ All-Ireland hurling semi-final previews ]

Some really interesting stuff here from the ever-engaging Shane O’Donnell, who chatted with Malachy Clerkin ahead of today’s semi-final.

[ Whether it’s explaining the art of the pick-up or outlining his problems with the GAA, the Clare full-forward is always one of the most interesting and singular figures in the gam ]

It hasn’t been a positive start to the day for Kilkenny at Croke Park. In the afternoon’s opening encounter, Dublin have beaten Kilkenny 1-13 to 0-12 in their All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final.

Read how Nicky English sees the weekend’s action playing out.

[ Clare need to make most of any period of supremacy while Cork seem to have lost Munster momentum ]

Good afternoon

Thank you for joining us on our live blog for today’s All-Ireland senior hurling championship semi-final between Kilkenny and Clare. It’s Gordon Manning here with you for the afternoon.

These sides have plenty of recent history – Kilkenny beat Clare at this stage of the championship in both 2022 and 2023. However, Clare have beaten the Cats twice already this season – first in the group stages of the National Hurling League and then also in the Division One league decider.

Clare’s last (and only) championship win over Kilkenny was in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final. In fact, this will be the tenth senior championship meeting between the counties, with Kilkenny having won seven to the Banner’s solitary victory, while there was also one draw in the previous nine meetings.

Kilkenny remain the only unbeaten team in this year’s hurling championship.

There was a lot of rain overnight here in Dublin, but it has been dry and breezy most of the day so here’s hoping the weather holds for the next few hours.

Here are the teams as officially named this week:

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Mikey Carey; Cian Kenny, Paddy Deegan; Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid, John Donnelly; Martin Keoghan, Billy Ryan, Eoin Cody. Subs: Aidan Tallis, Conor Delaney, Shane Murphy, Jordan Molloy, Cillian Buckley, Conor Fogarty, Tom Phelan, Walter Walsh, Owen Wall, Conor Heary, Gearoid Dunne.

CLARE: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan; Aidan McCarthy, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy. Subs: Cian Broderick, Rory Hayes, Paul Flanagan, Cian Galvin, Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor, Ian Galvin, Aron Shanagher, Shane Meehan, Keith Smyth, Seán Rynne.