Don’t fret, Brian Cody will still have slept well last night

I was in Páirc Ui Rinn in March the night Kilkenny came from six points down with five minutes remaining to nail Cork on the line by one point. Kilkenny had some momentum and far more time to reel Clare in from six points down but, while you never say never with that crowd, you never felt a Kilkenny comeback was on in this League semi final.

Clare’s workrate was animal. They always had an out-ball or that third runner coming through to try and lance through Kilkenny’s defensive rear-guard. Their pace and movement can be unmerciful for teams to deal with. And all over the field, Clare just had far more stand-out performers. It didn’t matter what Kilkenny threw at Clare, you always felt they could withstand the onslaught that has crushed so many teams.

The most impressive aspects of Clare’s display was how much it was driven by Clare’s lesser lights Oisin O’Brien, David Fitzgerald, David Reidy – and how many big names they still have to return – David McInerney, Shane O’Donnell, Jack Browne, Peter Duggan. Tony Kelly has still to start a league game this spring.