Bluffer's guide to Clare v Limerick

What is it?The first meeting of Clare and Limerick in the Munster senior hurling championship since the classic semi-final clash 12 years ago - the last season of the traditional knock-out format - when Limerick, who were on their way to a second All-Ireland final appearance in three years, would knock the reigning All-Ireland champions out of the championship.

Clare fans are still having nightmares about Ciarán Carey's great solo run up the Semple pitch to fire over the winner.

So it's a big game?Well, some things haven't changed. Next Sunday's game is back in Thurles, and it's also a Munster semi-final. And Limerick are still reaching All-Ireland finals - and still losing them. And Clare are still causing shocks, though this season it's by winning a game, not losing one. In fact, so impressed were Waterford by Clare's performance against them on the first day of this month they immediately moved to install a Clare man to lead them to the promised land.

Now if only it was that simple.

So what do I need to know?Well, times have changed. It's more than just in financial markets that stock has fallen. In 1996, Clare and Limerick were in the middle of sharing five Munster titles in a row between them. But neither has claimed a senior provincial title so far in the 21st century. This season is a golden opportunity for one of them to break that duck - neither will be afraid of meeting Tipperary in the decider. In the league last March, Limerick came from six points down at the Gaelic Grounds in March, to win by nine - which will count for absolutely zero next Sunday.

And?Both sides have a great record for scoring goals against the other in championship fare - though it'll be tough to beat the 11 goals Limerick scored against Clare in the 1918 Munster final - and the matches are usually high-scoring affairs, so hopefully Semple Stadium will be the scene of another classic from 4pm this Sunday. And should Clare fans require car flags they need only tip down to the GAA shop in Thurles. Apparently, car flags were flying out the door in the run-up to the Tipperary v Cork clash a few weeks ago - that is until someone took off the plastic and unfurled their purchase before leaving the shop the day before the big game and discovered it was a Clare flag. In fact, the whole batch contained Clare flags.

You'd have to wonder at the first words uttered by the unwitting Tipperary fans that went to put their flags on their cars before setting off for Cork.

Thurles is guaranteed to be buzzing at the weekend, though considering the crowd that will be arriving from more or less the same direction into the town from the west, you'd be better off to fly from Shannon to Dublin and drive down. Of course, many will arrive by train, but if you can't get to the match, it'll be live on RTÉ 2.