There were wins for the hurlers of Clare, Limerick IT and Tipperary in today's preliminary round of the 2007 Waterford Crystal Cup.
In Meelick, new Clare manager Tony Considine had an experimental side out for his first competitive game in charge.
The Banner men pulled off a 1-16 to 1-13 victory with forwards Derek Quinn and Declan O'Rourke showing some promising form by hitting 1-04 and 0-04 respectively.
Clare take on Kerry in next Sunday's quarter-finals at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
Meanwhile, Tipperary held firm for a 1-13 to 1-11 success over a tigerish UL side at MacDonagh Park in Nenagh.
Tipp set up a home date with Waterford IT in the last-eight as they progressed on the back of a strong first half performance.
Babs Keating's men got off to the worst possible start, however, when UL corner forward Alan Egan netted in the first-minute.
But Tipp bounced back with a goal of their own from full-forward Danny O'Hanlon, midway through the half, and they led by 1-10 to 1-06 at the break.
UL, with the aid of the breeze, managed to keep Tipp scoreless for 25 minutes of the second period. But the hosts came good, with Paul Kelly (0-05, 3f), O'Hanlon (1-01) and 2006 minor star Pa Bourke (0-04, 1f) finishing as their top scorers.
Limerick IT will face Waterford next weekend after they dished out a 2-12 to 0-12 beating to Limerick, last year's champions, in Kilmallock.
The other quarter-final will see the 2006 All-Ireland runners-up Cork clashing with Cork IT at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
