Liam Sheedy: All-Ireland course still in vision for Clare

Clare's wretched record in Munster hurling finals continues, but Liam Sheedy feels the Banner are well placed to navigate a path towards the All-Ireland final and a possible reunion with Limerick.

The Treaty men secured a provincial five-in-a-row with an absorbing one-point win at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, while Clare’s last time to rule Munster was 1998.

Indeed in 26 final appearances, they have only come out on top on half a dozen occasions.

Yet their championship campaign rolls on to a quarter-final clash with either Dublin or Carlow. Should they overcome that hurdle, it would result in rematch of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.

Speaking on the Sunday Game, former Tipperary player and manager Liam Sheedy says that while profligate shooting was their major downfall on the day, he feels they are well placed for a tilt at Liam MacCarthy.

"Brian Lohan will look at the chances they created in the second half, 26 shots, and only converted that into 11 points," he said.

"It’s not really the form you’d expect would go and win silverware. That was ultimately the stat that let them down.

"Equally, Brian Lohan will sit there tonight and say, 'we’ve a chance, if I beat Dublin/Carlow and beat Kilkenny, I’m back in an All-Ireland final.

"I think after they lost to Tipperary in the first round, that’s not a bad place to be."