The stats behind this Sunday's All-Ireland SHC Semi Final between Clare and Kilkenny

For the first time since 2016, the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals will  be repeats of the previous year. It was Kilkenny v Waterford and Galway v Tipperary in 2015 and 2016, now it’s Galway v Limerick and Clare v Kilkenny renewing semi-final rivalry for a second successive year; Kilkenny and Limerick reaching the final last year. 

It’s Galway v Limerick in Croke Park on Saturday (6.00PM), followed on Sunday by Clare v  Kilkenny (4.00PM). 

CLARE v KILKENNY 

Similar to last year, Kilkenny return as Leinster champions with Clare as All-Ireland  quarter-final winners after losing the Munster final to Limerick. They beat Dublin in the  All-Ireland quarter-final. 

Kilkenny are bidding to reach the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final for a  second successive year; Clare were last in the final in 2013, which was also the last time  they won the title.

PATHS TO THE SEMI-FINAL 

CLARE 

• Tipperary 5-22 Clare 3-23 

• Clare 1-24 Limerick 2-20  

• Clare 2-22 Waterford 0-16 

• Clare 2-22 Cork 3-18 

• Limerick 1-23 Clare 1-22 (Munster final) 

• Clare 5-26 Dublin 2-17 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2 

TOP SCORERS 

1. Tony Kelly...................5-32 (0-10 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘65’) 2. Aidan McCarthy.........1-27 (0-15 frees, 0-3 ‘65s’) 3. Mark Rodgers..............4-17 (0-5 frees, 0-1 s/l) 4. Shane O’Donnell..........1-10 

5. David Fitzgerald............0-11 

KILKENNY 

• Kilkenny 0-29 Westmeath 0-7  

• Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25 

• Kilkenny 5-31 Antrim 3-20 

• Kilkenny 0-27 Dublin 0-21 

• Wexford 4-23 Kilkenny 5-18 

• Kilkenny 4-31 Galway 2-26 (Leinster final) 

Played 6, Won 4, Draw 1, Lost 1 

TOP SCORERS 

1. TJ Reid...................2-54 (0-37 frees. 0-5 ‘65s’) 

2. Eoin Cody...............3-16 

3. Martin Keoghan......5-9 

4. Adrian Mullen.......0-13 

5. Tom Phelan.............1-8 

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS 

• 2022: Kilkenny 2-26 Clare 0-20 (All-Ireland semi-final) • 2006: Kilkenny 2-21 Clare 1-16 (All-Ireland semi-final) 

• 2004: Kilkenny 1-11 Clare 0-9 (All-Ireland quarter-final - replay)  • 2004: Kilkenny 1-13 Clare 1-13 (All-Ireland quarter-final) • 2002: Kilkenny 2-20 Clare 0-19 (All-Ireland final) 

LAST TEN ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS 

KILKENNY 

• 2022: Kilkenny 2-26 Clare 0-20 

• 2021: Cork 1-37 Kilkenny 1-32 (aet) 

• 2020: Waterford 2-27 Kilkenny 2-23 

• 2019: Kilkenny 1-21 Limerick 2-17 

• 2016: Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 2-17 (replay) 

• 2016: Kilkenny 1-21 Waterford 0-24 (draw) 

• 2015: Kilkenny 1-21 Waterford 0-18 

• 2014: Kilkenny 2-13 Limerick 0-17 

• 2012: Kilkenny 4-24 Tipperary 1-15 

• 2011: Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 1-16 

Played 10; Won 7, Drew 1, Lost 2

CLARE 

• 2022: Kilkenny 2-26 Clare 0-20 

• 2018: Galway 1-17 Clare 2-13 (replay) 

• 2018: Galway 1-30 Clare 1-30 aet (draw) 

• 2013: Clare 1-22 Limerick 0-18  

• 2006: Kilkenny 2-21 Clare 1-16 

• 2005: Cork 0-16 Clare 0-15 

• 2002: Clare 1-16 Waterford 1-13 

• 1999: Kilkenny 2-14 Clare 1-13 

• 1998: Offaly 0-16 Clare 0-13 (replay) 

• 1998: Clare 1-16 Offaly 2-10 (void – replay ordered) 

Played 10: Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 6; Void 1 

*This will be the ninth championship meeting between Clare and Kilkenny, with the Cats  having won six to Clare’s one, and one draw from the previous eight. Clare’s only win came  in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final. 

*Kilkenny scored a total of 14 goals against Antrim (5), Wexford (5), Galway (4, Leinster  Final) in this year’s championship but none against Westmeath, Galway (Round Robin) or  Dublin. Clare also scored a total of 14 goals in their six games, but they were more evenly spread.