The day of a big championship game, a fair few of the Clare lads used to think I was on another planet, that I didn’t know what nerves were, that I was so relaxed I was nearly horizontal.

Anthony Daly wrote in these pages yesterday about how the emblems on their chests can be all that separates Clare and Limerick, but there are an increasing number of occasions when even their jerseys are spun from the same wool.

Clare v Tipperary

AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final: Kilmallock v Portaferry: This afternoon, Kilmallock, Limerick and Munster champions, take on Ulster kingpins Portaferry in the All-Ireland club hurling semi-final.

He didn’t enjoy watching the last half hour of last Sunday’s epic Munster club final.

Kilmmallock 1-32 Cratloe 3-18

AIB MUNSTER CLUB SHC FINAL:

Kilmallock 1-15 Na Piarsaigh 0-14

Mitchelstown have received a boost with the news that former Cork manager Billy Morgan could be involved with their intermediate team in 2014.

CHRISTY RING FINAL:

Newtownshandrum 2-27 Ballymartle 2-23 (after extra time)

LIMERICK secretary Mike O’Riordan has staunchly defended his county against what he believes were accusations they had brought the GAA into disrepute by threatening to boycott the forthcoming Allianz Hurling League.

FOR a man who loves Clare hurling as much Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin, the decision to resign as senior manager didn’t come easy.

IN Clare’s magnificent All-Ireland title wins of 1995 and 1997, one man stood head and shoulders above all others — manager Ger Loughnane. A charismatic figure, it was the power and force of his personality that drove Clare to new heights during those heady years.

Clare 6-23 Kerry 1-18

CLARE had no problem at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday in dismissing the challenge of Down in the Allianz HL Division 2.

CLARE senior hurling manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin fears he may lose more players to emigration.

The season is not long over and already there has been plenty of movement on the management merry-go-round ahead of 2011’s campaign, writes Fintan O’Toole.

SATURDAY’S emphatic All-Ireland qualifier success overClare has generated plenty of optimism in Dublin hurling circles, and Liam Rushe wants to that feelgood sensation to continue.

Dublin 2-22 Clare 0-15

CHAMPIONS Clare scored a notable early season victory with a hard-fought two-point win over Tipperary in the Waterford Crystal Trophy under lights in Borrisoleigh last night.

PATRICK CRONIN is set to miss Cork’s entire National Hurling League campaign after suffering a serious knee injury. Cronin will be out of action for a minimum period of three months but it is hoped he may be able to make a return before Cork’s Munster SHC opener against Tipperary in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on May 31.

EXPERIENCED Clare forward Tony Carmody has decided not to take up an invitation to play for the county under new manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin this year.

All-Ireland winner Niall Gilligan has turned down an initial approach to link up with the Clare senior hurling panel for the 2010 campaign.

ALL-IRELAND winner Niall Gilligan has turned down an initial approach to link up with the Clare senior hurling panel for the 2010 campaign.

NEW Clare senior hurling manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin has appointed Danny Chaplin as a selector.

MICHAEL CUSSEN has quit Cork’s senior football squad to concentrate on making the Rebels’ hurling panel in 2010.

AFTER nearly two months of turmoil, the player/manager controversy that rocked Clare GAA reached its conclusion at the county’s annual county convention last night when, in a departure from the official Clár, former star Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin was endorsed as the new manager of the senior hurling team.

CLARE’S All-Ireland U-21 winning manager John Minogue claims some of the gloss has been taken off a landmark season because of the bitter dispute that led to Mike McNamara’s resignation as senior boss.

CLARE GAA chairman Michael O’Neill has vowed to put measures in place to ensure that there is no repeat of the bitter dispute that led to Mike McNamara’s resignation as the county’s senior hurling team manager.

DUBLIN senior hurling manager Anthony Daly has hailed the imminent appointment of Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin in his native Clare.

All-Ireland winner Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin is set to be named Clare senior hurling boss following the resignation of Mike McNamara and his management team last night.

ALL-IRELAND winner Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin is set to be named Clare senior hurling boss following the resignation of Mike McNamara and his management team last night.

CLARE hurling legend Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin has distanced himself from reports linking him to the management of his native county.