Christy O'Connor: Another glorious day of Clare’s electric summer

As Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Glory Days’ boomed out over the loudspeakers, the stewards and Gardaí which had been keeping the supporters off the field sensed that the mood of the day demanded a release...

Tony Kelly of Clare celebrates after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Clare and Wexford at the FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

After his first missed free, Tony Kelly immediately put his hand up in acknowledgement. It was just outside the 45-metre line. The chance should have been nailed. Kelly shook his head. He had two more opportunities from frees inside two minutes to atone. Both were much more difficult than the first one but Kelly was wide on both occasions. The game was still only warming up but, already, the mood smacked of this being a long, draining and difficult afternoon for Clare.

After a Munster final in which they had emptied themselves physically and mentally in pursuit of a famine-ending victory, this was always bound to be a treacherous game for Clare. They were flat. There was no real rhythm or fluency to their play. Their big players were struggling to exert their authority on the match.