CLARE boss Brian Lohan admitted that it will be difficult to lift his players for their upcoming All-Ireland quarter-final after a heroic Munster final effort.
The Banner will play either Wexford or Kerry on Saturday week when a win would set up a semi-final clash with Leinster champions Kilkenny.
But having suffered their fifth provincial final loss since last conquering Munster in 1998, and this one after extra time, they’ll need every one of those intervening 13 days to recover.
“We’ve a good group there that work exceptionally hard and they give their all every time they go out,” said Lohan. “We couldn’t ask for any more. Unfortunately for us it wasn’t good enough today.”
He added: “It just puts us under pressure for the next two weeks. It’s going to be hard to recover from that, mentally and physically, so we’ll see how we go.”
Clare were effectively limited to one goal chance all afternoon, a Shane O’Donnell effort in the second half of normal time that was blocked by Limerick full-back Mike Casey, although Mark Rodgers flashed over a point at the very end of extra time when the result was already beyond doubt.
“Yeah they’re an exceptionally good team, an exceptionally good bunch of defenders,” Lohan acknowledged. “We knew that and they got one goal chance and they took it. We probably got one, didn’t take it.
“At this pitch of sport and this pitch of hurling and you’re up against that kind of team it’s tough lessons.”
Having forced the additional 20 minutes through Tony Kelly’s last gasp sideline, Clare were effectively undone by Limerick’s fast start to extra time which left them chasing the game in vain for the remainder.
“I suppose we were, yeah. They got the first two points which was a tonic for them and it’s tough to come back from them but our lads are made of good stuff and it’s just unfortunate,” Lohan added.
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