Colm Collins: ‘I didn’t see it coming’

Clare midfielder Gary Brennan didn’t quite issue the almost obligatory apology to the travelling Banner support, but he came as near as makes no difference.

“Kerry fairly tore us apart,” he said ruefully. “ I feel bad for the Clare people who came down looking for a performance, because we certainly didn’t give them what we intended to.”

The captain reckoned Clare were in as good a shape physically and mentally as he could remember, and yet their semi-final challenge was stillborn.