I’ve entered the stats for last weekend’s game.  Waterford edged out a young Clare team to reach their 6th Munster final in the last 9 years.  Their 5 previous finals were:

• 2009 Lost to Tipp
• 2007 Beat Limerick
• 2004 Beat Cork
• 2003 Lost to Cork
• 2002 Beat Tipp

In Leinster Dublin were somewhat flattered by their 9 point win over Laois.  For their efforts, they provide the first hurdle for the five-in-a-row chasing Cats on June 20.

• Waterford 0-22 Clare 1-15
• Dublin 0-25 Laois 0-16

Last year I kept an eye on players making their championship debuts.  Doing the same this year.  There have been 34 newcomers so far:

Laois

• Eoin Reilly
• Neil Foyle

Carlow

• Eoin Nolan
• Eddie Byrne
• Richard Coady
• Hugh Paddy O’Byrne
• Paudie Kehoe

Galway

• Donal Barry
• David Burke
• Aidan Harte

Wexford

• Noel Carton
• Lar Prendergast
• Paul Morris

Offaly

• James Dempsey
• Stephen Egan
• Shane Kelly

Antrim

• Thomas McCann
• Colm McFall

Cork

• Michael Cussen
• Lorcan McLoughlin

Tipperary

• Michael Cahill
• Seamus Hennessy
• Timmy Hammersley
• Jody Brennan
• Brian O’Meara

Waterford

• Liam Lawlor

Clare

• Donal Touhy
• Cian Dillon
• Nicky O’Connell
• Sean Collins
• Darach Honan
• Cormac O’Donovan
• Domhnall O’Donovan

Dublin

• Ruairi Trainor

Limerick and Kilkenny are the two remaining teams.  Kilkenny may not have many newcomers but I expect that Limerick will due to the dispute between manager Justin McCarthy and members of the 2009 squad.