So, was Cork just a blood and bandage bubble of hype? Was a first National Hurling League title since 1998 a bit of a smokescreen because, in the words of Clare manager Brian Lohan, ‘league is league ...

we managed to get a draw out of it. I’d have taken that this morning coming up here. There was an awful lot of chatter about this Clare team and what was going to happen and Cork were going well ...

Clare produced a remarkable 12-point second half turnaround to snatch a dramatic opening draw with Cork in Zimmer Biomet ... goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan who stopped efforts from Alan Connolly ...