A former minor and U21 star, Nugent shone this season with Limerick IT, who won the Fitzgibbon Cup for the first time in their history.

Nugent came on as a substitute in the League final against Kilkenny and is preferred to Conor Plunkett at left half-forward.

Apart from the introduction of Nugent, the Clare selectors have also made a number of positional switches from the side that lost to the Cats in the league decider.

Diarmuid McMahon moves to right half-forward with Tony Griffin taking over the centre-forward duties. Griffin, who had just returned from Canada before the League final, lined out in the left corner-forward position on that occasion.

Tony Carmody, who started the Kilkenny game on the left wing, is now chosen at right corner-forward with Alan Quinn moving over to the opposite corner.

Alan Markham is selected at right half-back but is still troubled by a hamstring injury and will undergo a late fitness test.