Reshuffled Banner show their strength in depth

Last September Pat O’Connor lined out with 14 Clare team-mates in a thrilling All-Ireland SHC final replay to claim an unlikely fifth championship title in the county’s long history.

On Sunday he again lined out with 14 team-mates for Clare’s first competitive appearance of the season against Limerick in the quarter-final of the Waterford Crystal tournament. There were differences of course.

This was a low-key season opener in front of less than 2,000 spectators in wintry Sixmilebridge instead of 72,000 fans at GAA HQ.