Aidan McCarthy not fazed by hectic schedule after league win for Clare over Kilkenny

After bagging two goals as Clare got the better of Kilkenny in Saturday's Allianz HL Division 1 final, Aidan McCarthy expressed his delight at the victory and how he is looking forward to facing Limerick in the Munster Championship in two weeks' time.

David Fitzgerald also raised a green flag as the Banner claimed a first top-tier title since 2016 with a 3-16 to 1-20 victory at FBD Semple Stadium.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport afterwards, McCarthy, who finished with a total of 2-10, said: "I haven't got that score in a long time.

"I'm delighted with the performance of the players; the backs were unbelievable when Kilkenny came back at us but we held out at the end. Thank God!

"We got them [goals] at crucial times; Fitzy [David Fitzgerald] got a great goal right after half-time and that gave us a bit of a cushion. Rodgers [Mark], Fitzy and Peter [Duggan] those boys running down the middle, catching ball, they were unbelievable.

"Kilkenny are never going to lie down until the final whistle. They got a goal and were dangerous but at the end of the day we're league champions."

As for facing the All-Ireland champions in the first of the Munster round-robin games on 21 April, the Inagh Kilnamona clubman was somewhat low-key in his response, when adding: "We take it game by game; we're not worried about anything else, we'll worry about our own camp.

"We got to a league final after the round-robin and when you're in a league final you want to win it. Thankfully we got over the line and we'll move on to the Munster Championship.

It's the start of a busy schedule for a dual player like McCarthy, not that the Banner sharpshooter seems to mind.

"The split season puts a bit of pressure on us players. We have two games in two weeks. We don't mind, we