Clare U21s boss Kinnerk hails his ‘once in a lifetime’ panel

Clare hurling coach Paul Kinnerk has labelled the county’s three-in-a-row Munster U21-winning team as a "once in a lifetime group".

The Banner annihilated Cork by 15 points on Wednesday, clinching the team’s fifth provincial title on the hop following minor victories in 2010 and 2011. Kinnerk was drafted in by joint-managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor as minor coach at the outset of this remarkable success story, the scalp of Cork stretching their unbeaten run in Munster to 14 games over five years.

“It has been incredible,” reflected Kinnerk. “If you told us five years ago down in Walsh Park when we were beaten by Waterford by eight points in the first round of the Munster minor championship that this team would go on and win five provincial championships in a row I would have thought that you were mad.