Clare 2-12 UL 1-12

Mike McNamara's unfamiliar-looking selection got off to the greatest of starts when one of Clare's more experienced players, Alan Markham, had the ball in the Waterford net inside half a minute. By the ninth, Clare lead by 1-2 to 0-1, with Ronan Good opening IT's account with a point from play early on.

Lining out without the selected Gerry Quinn at centre-back, Clare opted to place Conor Plunkett at No 6 in an effort to curb Kilkenny ace TJ Reid, who lined out a centre-forward for the students. Reid did manage two first-half scores from play but still his side trailed by 2-8 to 0-5 at the break, Barry Nugent popping up to score Clare's second-goal

WIT took the game to Clare in the second-half and a goal in the 34th minute by Timmy Hammersley was well deserved. The Tipp man fielded a pass from Reid and made no mistake from close range.

The visitors' improvement meant that they had reduced the deficit to just a point (2-10 to 1-12) by the 57th, after Hammersley converted a 35m free, but a resurgent Clare finished well, as Caimin Morey slotted over two vital frees late on.

Scorers -- Clare: C Morey 0-7 (4 fs), B Nugent 1-2, A Markham 1-0, C Ryan 0-3. Waterford IT: T Hammersley 1-4 (2 fs, 65), TJ Reid 0-3 (1f), PJ Rowe 0-2, R Good, S Lillis (f), F O'Leary 0-1 each.

Clare -- P Brennan; G O'Grady, C Dillon, C McMahon; P Donnellan, C Plunkett, M Hawes; C Hassett, B Bugler; T Carmody,T Griffin, C Ryan; B Nugent, C Morey, A Markham. Subs: P Vaughan for Hawes (39), J Clancy for Hassett (48), C Lynch for Griffin (y/c 52), J Conlon for Bugler (56).

Waterford IT -- A Power; B Kenny, C Cooney, M Phelan ; M Dunne, S Fives, E Barrett; S Lillis, J Gahan; PJ Rowe, TJ Reid, R Good; T Hammersley, F O'Leary, R McCarthy. Subs: J Ryan for Gahan (h-t), K Grehan for McCarthy (53), B Moroney for Cooney (y/c 59).