Clare manager Ger 'Sparrow' O'Loughlin has warned that a place in the NHL Division 2 final is far from guaranteed after last Saturday's defeat to Laois.

The Banner County can't afford any slip-up against Carlow in their final game next weekend if they are to join table-toppers Limerick in the final.

"We are just not playing well enough and you would go into the Carlow game worried as we are only hitting it in phases. Our destiny is in our own hands, but we definitely need to improve," O'Loughlin said.

Reflecting on last weekend's 3-13 to 3-16 reversal, the former All-Ireland winning forward said: "We are bitterly disappointed with the loss, but from the management point of view we learned a lot. Some fellas will have to pick things up or else they don't deserve to be out on the field.

"We just to have pick ourselves up. It's in our own hands. If we beat Carlow in two weeks' time, we will be okay." Tweet

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