A new Banner unfurled?

THE promised torrential thunder-showers didn’t hit Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds until about an hour after the final whistle, long after the disappointing crowd of 17,365 had headed for home.

However, long before that, the storm clouds were gathering over the hurlers of Waterford, as they made a tame exit from this year’s Munster championship, their crown meekly surrendered.

This was victory on a grand scale for Clare, their first championship win in Munster in five years, and impressively earned. For a Waterford side that has figured near the top of the betting for every All-Ireland championship during that same period, it was a defeat of possible era-ending significance.