Touhy and McGrath bask in glory of last-gasp Clare win

They didn’t want to leave the pitch in Cusack Park on Wednesday night, a second Munster U21 hurling title in four years to be celebrated, but it was more than that.

Clare is a county very much on the rise, promotion from division 1B to division 1A in the Allianz Hurling League already secured, a number of fine performances in the championship before bowing out to Limerick just before quarter-final stage.

Manager of the senior team is former goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald, who has placed his faith in youth. Of the Clare team that started against Tipperary on Wednesday, eight had featured prominently for Davy’s side, while just one Tipperary player — centre-forward Sean Curran — is a member of the senior panel, yet to figure in this year’s championship.