By Stephen Barry

Clare may have succumbed to relegation back into Division 3 for the first time since 2016 but the sense of progress hasn’t been lost.

Eoin Cleary has a clear example that jumps to mind.

When the Banner played Dublin in a challenge game in 2015, it was nothing like their agonising last-gasp defeat to the Dubs at Croke Park this year.

“We played them in 2015 in Miltown, they were on a training camp at the time, and they actually stopped counting the score,” says Cleary.

“The game was on in my own club and the scoreboard wasn't working. I think some club officials looked after their clubmates that night by not allowing it to work!

“It's a change in fortunes really, the fact that you can compete with a team like Dublin in this day and age, but it was definitely still disappointing not to get over the line with how we performed.”

That Croke Park appearance is simultaneously a highlight and a disappointment. An opportunity to feature on the big stage but a chance missed to turn their supporting act into the starring role.

“Just playing against some of the greatest players to ever play the game and to be at that level,” is what stood out to Cleary.

“The performance up in Croke Park was unreal. It was a great occasion that night for our supporters and the players.

“The one decent thing from the Dublin game [compared] to the Kildare game was that we showed a bit more composure and we kept attacking them.

“We went for it but, ultimately, their bench made a difference. The pace Jack McCaffrey brought when he came on was huge.

“They have a lot of All-Ireland medals in their group for a reason. The subs they brought on – Murchan, McCaffrey – made a huge difference at a crucial period of the game.”

Is the closing of that gap a reflection of Clare’s gains or the Dubs being in decline?

“I'd definitely say we're better. Colm [Collins] has added a lot to his backroom team and the quality of underage Clare players is better now.

“I remember when Colm came in, there was one Clare player playing Sigerson football at the time and he wasn’t even on the Clare panel. Now, I think there was 10 this year.

“The Dublin argument is one to be had for years to come but you still have Brian Fenton, Ciarán Kilkenny, these guys are unbelievable players so for us to be able to compete with them in a crucial game like that is pleasing from our perspective.

“But we would have loved to get a result because it would have been a historic result against an unbelievable outfit.”

That such a heroic effort was followed by Clare’s two biggest League defeats, against Sunday’s opponents Cork and Derry, isn’t coincidental.

“Getting to the pitch of that performance, having put so much into it, and the deflation after it probably took a lot out of the group. It was a similar experience the week before against Kildare [another late seven-point turnaround that ended in a one-point defeat].

“Listen, it's not the only reason we didn't perform in those two games. Derry and Cork were ultimately better than us on both days but it was definitely one facet which had an influence on those performances.”

The disappointment at putting in five good performances but still clocking up five losses and a relegation stung, not that they could dwell on it too long.

The focus now is on making Cusack Park a fortress again for Clare football and avenging the eight-point loss Cork put on them at home.

“When Colm came in initially, that was one of the points he made, that we have to make our home pitch, Cusack Park, a fortress. That day in Cusack Park against Cork we did everything but that. Especially in the second half.

“We weren’t performing that well at half-time but we were a point ahead so we thought we could turn it around and still get a result. But Cork were much the better team on the day and the level of aggression they brought to the game was a lot higher than us.

“It’s something we definitely have to learn from if we want to get a result on Sunday.”

The Munster opener against the Rebels is must-win territory for Clare to have any hope of a return to the All-Ireland quarter-final stage they reached last summer.

For all the tweaks to structures, it has the feel of an old-style knockout game out west. Plus, winning Munster remains Clare’s “ultimate goal”.

“In my own county, I know that everyone in the group would just love a Munster title. We saw what it did for Tipp and Cavan in 2020.”

In Championship, they haven’t met since 2015 and the Banner haven’t downed Cork since 1997. Cleary was three back then, although he remembers the banter with former selector Ger Keane who danced a West Clare jig in celebrating Martin Daly’s winning goal.

For Cleary, an All-Star nominee in 2021 and ’22, it’s another barrier to be broken down.

“Under Colm, we've broken a few barriers down by being the first Clare team to get to an All-Ireland quarter-final and then doing it six years later again.

“We got to Division 2 and beat certain counties that Clare have never beaten before so this is another challenge ahead, a big challenge.

“Cork are moving quite well this year. Kevin Walsh is definitely an addition to them. He has brought a style of play that makes them very difficult to break down. We'll just have to look after our own performance and try to get over the line on Sunday.”