Clare turned in a fantastic team performance at a sunny Gaelic Grounds this afternoon as they dethroned Munster champions Waterford and set up an intriguing semi-final clash with Limerick.
Winning their first Munster Championship match since 2003, the Banner men roared home with goals in either half from championship debutant Mark Flaherty and Niall Gilligan.
The second-half effort from Gilligan was the perfect way to crown his 50th championship appearance - the Sixmilebridge clubman's 20th championship goal also drew him level with Clare's record SHC goal-scorer Jimmy Smith.
In front of a 17,365-strong crowd, Flaherty's 16th-minute strike was the difference between the sides at half-time as the Clare players bounded into the dressing room with a 1-12 to 0-12 lead.
Depleted by injuries, a number of Waterford's star players struggled throughout - 2007 Hurler of the Year Dan Shanahan was clearly not match fit after a knee injury - and they were over-reliant on Dave Bennett (0-10) and John Mullane (0-08) for their scores.
Bennett closed the gap to two points with the first point of the second half.
But with scoring contributions from nine players, including the returning Tony Griffin who sparkled after the break, there was no stopping a Clare side that impressively banished the blues of recent Championship campaigns.
For Waterford, this was a very deflating start to their summer. Having had their grip loosened on the National League title, their Munster crown is now gone and they will have to regain their famed drive and hunger, as well as a few of their injured All-Stars, if they are to make their mark in the All-Ireland qualifiers.
At one stage during the second half, Clare had built up an 11-point buffer. All over the pitch they were winning the individual battles and they were well able to take their scores, none more so than newcomer Flaherty who comfortably transferred his league form to the big stage.
Mike McNamara will not get too over-excited by this Clare performance but after his first Championship game in charge, the former All-Ireland-winning team trainer knows more will be expected of his side in Thurles on 22 June.
Both Clare and Waterford lined out as selected, yet, as it is now nearly tradition, there were a number of positional switches in the Déise line-up once the counties' 28th Championship meeting got underway.
Brian Phelan was moved to centre-back, Seamus Prendergast went to right half-forward and Shanahan was positioned at centre-forward in the early stages.
A fluid attack from Waterford, begun by Tony Browne, ended with Bennett notching the game's first point in the third-minute.
The first half really ebbed and flowed along. Waterford strung together some early points before taking their foot off the pedal, and Clare did likewise after a couple of periods of dominance.
Mullane and Bennett tagged on a brace of scores to push Justin McCarthy's men into a 0-03 to 0-00 lead with six minutes gone.
Indeed, the defending champions might have carved out a goal-scoring chance but Eoin McGrath, as he tried to dance past Frank Lohan, was chopped down by the veteran Clare defender and Bennett stepped up to point the free.
Clare then opened their shoulders by scoring five successive points between the seventh and 14th minutes. A clearance from Brendan Bugler, one of the Banner's stand-out performers in defence, helped Griffin open his side's account.
Flaherty and Carmody got Clare level before Gilligan nipped out in front of his marker and launched a point over off his left.
Typifying Clare's desire, Bugler burst onto the ball, taking a good catch in midfield, and steadied himself before hitting a fine point for a 0-05 to 0-03 score-line.
Responding quickly, Bennett teed up Mullane for a point but just as the Déise tried to add again to their tally, a loss of possession in the half-forwards led to a goal at the other end.
Pat Donnellan, who worked tirelessly on his debut, sent a high ball in from the left which Flaherty was able to break onto.
The Killanena clubman left Declan Prendergast and company in his wake as he sniped through and gave Clinton Hennessy no chance with a stinging shot to the net.
Rallying from that setback, Waterford immediately upped their game, particularly in attack, as they grabbed the next six points to push into a 0-10 to 1-05 lead.
The fist-pumping Mullane was in electric form, proving deadly off his left. Seamus Prendergast, Stephen Molumphy, Eoin McGrath, newcomer Gary Hurney and Bennett all claimed points during the Deise's purple patch.
However, Diarmuid McMahon helped Clare stem the tide as he began to roam and get himself into the game.
With his marker Phelan struggling to keep tabs on him, McMahon swapped points with Mullane before hitting two on the bounce to level the sides at 1-08 to 0-11.
Colin Lynch then pointed off a McMahon handpass, Flaherty bagged a quick brace and defender Conor Plunkett rammed over an excellent free from long range as Clare answered back in some style.
Bennett pointed an injury-time free to keep Waterford in touch but Clare's late surge had them a goal to the good at the interval.
McNamara was forced into a change for the second period as a cracked bone in Gerry O'Grady’s hand ended his afternoon and Tadhg Keogh came in for his Championship bow.
Waterford looked sprightly as, just seconds after the throw-in, Shanahan won a free which Bennett planted between the posts for a 1-12 to 0-13 score-line.
Incredibly, Bennett and Mullane were to be Waterford's only second half scorers until substitute Denis Coffey bagged a point from play in the 59th minute.
Clare really turned it on during that period, stifling a punch-drunk Waterford attack and pulling clear as Griffin and company grew into their roles.
After a score from Flaherty, Griffin increased his influence with a memorable 40th-minute point - the former All-Star foiled both Phelan and Michael 'Brick' Walsh with his movement and smashed over a lovely score off his left.
Griffin pointed again after taking an incisive pass from Gilligan and while Bennett tapped over two frees, Waterford were offering little in open play, save for Mullane's helter-skelter runs.
Mullane replied to a Colin Lynch point to keep it a three-point game, but just a minute later Gilligan dashed through for his goal, beating Hennessy with a rising shot after a pacy move right down the Déise's centre.
This time, Waterford could not respond. They almost replied with an instant goal of their own but Philip Brennan pulled off a smart save and Hurney missed on the rebound.
Suddenly, the game took on a shooting practice feel as Carmody, Griffin (0-02), Plunkett, Flaherty and Gilligan rattled off point after point.
Waterford cut an 11-point gap to eight with scores from the ever-reliable Bennett and new man Coffey, but Clare were in no real danger.
They coasted home with Flaherty and Plunkett adding to their tallies and substitute Pat Vaughan also got on the scoresheet.
Mullane's almost one-man show continued with his three points in the last ten minutes rubberstamping him as the man-of-the-match award winner.
Clare's hunt for a third goal nearly came off. Carmody, making his first Championship appearance since 2006, flung a rasping shot towards the Waterford goal in the 69th-minute.
However, Waterford netminder Hennessy launched himself at the shot and batted it away from the top right corner with one of the best saves of the year.
It was one of few memorable moments for Waterford this afternoon as they bowed out of Munster at the first hurdle and Clare, thanks to their vibrant play, added some much-needed colour to the hurling summer.
Clare: P Brennan; G O'Grady, F Lohan, D Clancy; B Bugler (0-01), C Plunkett (0-03, 0-02f), P Donnellan; B O'Connell (capt), C Lynch (0-02); D McMahon (0-03), T Griffin (0-05), J Clancy; N Gilligan (1-02), T Carmody (0-02), M Flaherty (1-07, 0-03f, 0-02 '65').
Subs used: T Crowe for O'Grady (half-time), F Lynch for McMahon (64 mins), P Vaughan (0-01) for Lynch (67), D Barrett for Clancy (70).
Waterford: C Hennessy; B Phelan, K Moran, A Kearney; T Browne, D Prendergast, J Kennedy; M Walsh (capt), D Bennett (0-10, 0-09f); D Shanahan, G Hurney (0-01), S Molumphy (0-01); J Mullane (0-08), S Prendergast (0-01), E McGrath (0-01).
Subs used: D Coffey (0-01) for Moran (55 mins), S O'Sullivan for Molumphy (61), S Walsh for Shanahan (62), T Feeney for Phelan, R Foley for D Prendergast (both 64).
Referee: Dickie Murphy (Wexford).
