Clare 0-23 Waterford 1-18
Clare are into a fourth Munster Under-21 final on the bounce after Bobby Duggan's masterclass at Cusack Park saw them past Waterford by two points.
The Banner have been All-Ireland champions for the last three years and will meet the winners of tomorrow's semi-final between Tipperary and Limerick in the provincial decider.
Duggan topped the charts, but six points from the hurley of Ian Galvin, including five in the pressurised second-half, meant Clare had just enough to keep Waterford at arms length.
A goal in the 43rd minutes from Patrick Curran gave the Déise the lead as it looked as if their experience would see them over the line, but that advantage was brief as Galvin and Duggan saw Clare kick on to the win.
Few of the 6,639 in attendance at Cusack Park would have predicted a Clare win before the game, such was the strength of the Waterford side, who featured five of the side that played in Sunday's Munster senior final.
And after 20 minutes that prediction looked solid as the visitots led by 0-09 to 0-05 after they dominated the opening quarter and hit five of the previous six points in an eight minute spell.
Curran was in great form from frees for the Déise – he hit five points before the break – while senior star Austin Gleeson landed three before the interval as Waterford led 0-11 to 0-10.
Duggan shone throughout for Clare though and his seven points from play kept Clare in the contest.
The influence of Shane O'Donnell was quelled by sweeper Tadhg De Burca for the 60 minutes, but as it turned out, Clare's real danger men were further out the field.
And after the restart there looked to be only one winner as the Banner carried their strong finish to the first-half into the second.
Three in a row from Duggan, Shane Gleeson and Aidan McGuane gave them a two point advantage by the 37th minute and after a Austin Gleeson free in reply, the Banner hit another three on the bounce to take total control.
Curran's goal in the 43rd minute put Waterford back in front, but that lead only lasted a minute and a half as Galvin hit back to level the game again.
Duggan and Galvin fired Clare ahead soon after and despite having the chance to level the game with a late 20-metre free, Waterford were out of luck as Gleeson's shot was easily kept out by the line of Clare men.
Clare: K Hogan; S O'Brien, D Fitzgerald, E Quirke (0-01); A McGuane (0-01), C Cleary (c), B O'Gorman; D Conroy, K Hehir; B Duggan (0-13, 0-07f), S Gleeson (0-01), I Galvin (0-06); R Taylor (0-01), S O'Donnell, S Ward.
Subs: S Taylor for Gleeson (38 mins), N Deasy for Hehir (58)
Waterford: J Henley; C Gleeson, K Bennett, S McNulty; M Harney, T De Burca, T Devine; C Dunford (0-01), R Donnelly; Shane Bennett (0-02, 0-01'65), A Gleeson (0-05, 0-01f, 0-01'65), Stephen Bennett; M Kearney (0-01), DJ Foran (0-01), P Curran (1-07, 0-05f).
Subs: D Lyons for Harney (h-t), C Curran (0-01) for Donnelly (40 mins), S Keating for Foran (46)
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).
