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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

What time and TV channel is Kilkenny v Clare on today in the All-Ireland semi-finals?

Kilkenny and Clare will battle it out for a place in the All-Ireland final and the chance to stop Limerick winning their fourth consecutive Championship.

The Treaty men defeated Galway by 2-24 to 1-18 on Saturday and will be joined in the decider by the winners of today's game.

Kilkenny were last crowned All-Ireland champions eight years ago, while Clare last lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup a decade ago.

The Cats are boosted by the return of Ballyhale Shamrocks pair Richie Reid and Adrian Mullen at centre-back and midfield respectively, having missed the provincial final against Galway (Reid through concussion, Mullen with a thumb injury).

Martin Keogan has been named to start after a hamstring issue forced him to come off in the first half of the Leinster decider.

Meanwhile, Clare boss Brian Lohan has named Conor Cleary, David McInerney and John Conlon to start at Headquarters as the Banner look for revenge for their defeat to the Cats at the same stage last year.

Cleary has recovered from a dislocated shoulder that he sustained against Clare seven weeks ago and that forced him to miss the Munster final loss to Limerick and the All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Dublin, and he resumes at full-back.

Conlon was withdrawn in the Dublin game due to a head injury but is reunited in the Banner's half-back line with McInerney, with the duo replacing Darragh Lohan and Seadna Morey.

Shane O'Donnell has also shaken off the injury he suffered against Dublin and is fit to start.

Where and when is it?

Croke Park stages the semi-final clash on Sunday, July 9.

What time is throw-in?

The action gets under way at 4pm following the camogie clash between Cork and Kilkenny.

A general view of Croke Park (©INPHO/Evan Treacy)

What TV channel is it on?

RTE Two and BBC Northern Ireland Two will both show Kilkenny v Clare live.

Is it being streamed live?

You will also be able to watch the match on the RTE Player and BBC iPlayer.

Kilkenny team

Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen; Tom Phelan, Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.

Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Pádraig Walsh, Darragh Corcoran, Alan Murphy, Cian Kenny, Timmy Clifford, Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, Billy Drennan.

Clare team

Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Rory Hayes; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; Cathal Malone, David Fitzgerald; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, Ryan Taylor; Ian Galvin, Shane O'Donnell, Mark Rodgers.

Subs: Eamonn Foudy, Aron Shanagher, Cian Galvin, Cian Nolan, Darragh Lohan, David Reidy, Patrick Crotty, Paul Flanagan, Robin Mounsey, Seadna Morey, Shane Meehan.

Quotes corner

Shane Dowling on the match: "Tony Kelly has a score to settle with Mikey Butler. Peter Duggan the same with Huw Lawlor.

"John Conlon will remember being helpless on the sideline. And many more will have itches that need scratching.

"So, if I was coming at it from Kilkenny’s point of view, I’d want to meet all of that head on from the start by sending TJ Reid, Walter Walsh and Eoin Cody into the full-forward line and peppering them with ball. The Clare full-back line has been suspect, so test them out right from the off.

"Clare will know that Kilkenny won’t play a sweeper and that Mikey Butler will man-mark Tony Kelly once again. I’d be telling Kelly to drift way out the field and see what Butler does, though I’d expect that he’ll follow him. Leave Ryan Taylor and Shane O’Donnell inside and exploit the space.

"I don’t see this game being a hugely tactical affair but Clare really need to batten down the hatches for the first 20 minutes and not let the game get out of reach like it did last year.

"So crowd the middle, keep it tight, leave the two gunslingers close to goal and take it from there.

"It’d be amazed if Clare allow themselves to be buried after 20 minutes again this time and expect a much closer contest. And having waited just a year for their second chance, I reckon they’ll make the most of it and reach their first final in 10 years."

Betting odds

Kilkenny win: 5/4

Clare win: 5/6

Draw: 8/1

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