Clare hurling has been left reeling by last night's record 0-6 to 6-28 Munster MHC quarter-final defeat to Cork at Semple Stadium.
While Cork entered the game as hot favourites, the scale of the loss has set the alarm bells ringing in the Banner County. Trailing by 0-5 to 2-9 at half-time, the wheels came off the wagon completely in the third quarter when the Clare youngsters conceded an unanswered 2-12.
No-one in the GAA likes to see a defeat like that and hopefully it was just a blip for a county which prides itself on its hurling. Here's hoping also that the 16 and 17 year olds who wore the Clare jersey last night will come back stronger from the experience.
FT: Cork 6-28 Clare 0-06. One of the heaviest defeats suffered by the Clare minor hurlers. Sobering hour for hurling in the Banner county #GAA.
— Páraic McMahon (@thepmanofficial) July 14, 2021
Just looking at the Clare u17 result…
— Hurler on the ditch (@HurlerD) July 14, 2021
A few points
-It’s glorified juvenile hurling
-Clare had injuries
-Preparations scuppered with covid
-Cork are very strong (won u15 A and B in 2019)
-The clubs are not producing the players, the traditional big clubs in Clare especially.
Good Lord What a Hammering 😮 https://t.co/x7k8erBgKk
— Buff Egan (@buff_egan) July 14, 2021
Difficult night to do commentary for Cork v Clare minors. Obviously, Clare people will be rightly concerned about the underage structures but my overriding feeling was how awesome Cork were. They physically looked like an u20 team, showed lovely skill & played as a unit.
— Paddy Stapleton (@pasaint) July 15, 2021
TweetAlso should be pointed out that Clare were most likely the only county in Ireland that had no Under 16 hurling championship last year. So under 16s either played two years above their age last year or didn't play at all. This group was on a hiding to nothing from a long way out. https://t.co/1dmfYlwSSP
— Niall O Connor (@nialloc90) July 14, 2021