Clare must blame themselves more than square balls for Limerick defeat - Dónal Óg Cusack

Dónal Óg Cusack hopes Clare focus on their own failings rather than dwelling on the decisions of officials after they squandered a nine-point lead to lose to Limerick in the opening round of the Munster Hurling Championship.

Clare were cruising but Limerick scored three points in a row before the first of two Aaron Gillane goals came in the 60th minute, the forward appearing to get a touch on a long free from Diarmaid Byrnes.

A Donnacha Ó Dálaigh shot went under Eibhear Quilligan five minutes after that and in the 67th minute Gillane profited when Gearóid Hegarty's shot bounced off the post right into his lap for an easy tap-in.

The Munster and All-Ireland champions ran out 3-15 to 1-18 winners.

"Gillane's foot is inside the square," said former Cork goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack on The Sunday Game. "By the letter of the law, he was in the square.

"He also got a really good break in that the ball hit off the post and him in the chest but you could say that that’s the instinct that makes him one of the greatest attackers of the game that he was there for it.

"We watched it [back] on 10 different cameras so that should also be said, the difficult job the umpires have trying to judge a ball going at this speed.

"[The first goal] for me there was no doubt he was in the square and was interfering with it.

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"Having said that, Clare are going to be really disappointed. This is bread and butter for a full-back and goalkeeper and neither Conor Cleary nor Eibhear Quilligan will be