Players wanted to go but couldn’t find gears

Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald declared himself “happy” with his side’s Allianz Hurling League campaign – despite yesterday’s semi-final defeat by Tipperary.

Last year, the Banner county needed a relegation play-off victory over Cork to preserve their top-flight status but there were no such worries in 2014.

And Fitzgerald insisted he will successfully manage the long gap before the Munster semi-final against Cork or Waterford on June 15.