Kieran Shannon: Cork much kinder to the championship than the championship is to them

Will Cork lose again? Again, don’t know: with this crew, it could go either way. Will we be there? Sure when you know it’s bound to be another thriller as they’re involved, definitely.

GUARANTEED ACTION: Alan Connolly of Cork is tackled by Adam Hogan of Clare. Pic: Ray McManus, Sportsfile

It’s open to being interpreted by Pat Ryan as more “false pity” of the sort he labelled and abhorred last year, but after witnessing a game like the one his team played such a part in, both our initial and overriding reaction is to thank and even congratulate his team as well as Clare long before getting into where he and his players may have got it wrong.

Yes, we know, he’s over Cork, a county that is supposed to be all about winning and has had enough of losing and waiting to win the big one.