Banner braced to finally bounce back

IF perseverance alone was all it took to win an All-Ireland, then the current Clare ladies side would have crossed the Intermediate title off their ‘to do’ list long ago.

The county threatened a major breakthrough in the senior grade at the start of the decade when they followed up a league title in 2000 with a first Munster title a year later, before falling to Mayo in an All-Ireland semi-final.

Their fall from grace was spectacular. By 2005 they were submerged in division three of the league and scrambling for players on a week-to-week basis.