BEFORE I go into the match analysis, I’d like to compliment everyone involved in Semple Stadium for the state of the pitch yesterday.

IN all the years I’ve been doing this column, the one major disappointment for me is that I’ve never been in a position to analyse a big win for Clare.

I’M going to start this analysis not with the senior final – by which I wasn’t at all impressed, and more on that later – but with the minor game.

JUST over six weeks ago, Clare beat Waterford in the first round of the Munster MHC, a single point the difference down in Dungarvan.