Clare can still leave an indelible mark on hurling in 2014. Four days after the senior champions lost to Wexford the under-21s were forced into extra-time by Tipperary.

Shane O'Donnell, the teenager who cemented his legendary status in Banner lore with that hat-trick last September, came off the bench to plunder a goal. O'Donnell is no longer hamstrung and is joined by other young guns, including 2013 hurler of the year Tony Kelly, Seadna Morey, Colm Galvin, Jack Browne, Peter Duggan, Aaron Cunningham and Jamie Shanahan, who are no longer burdened by the need to please two masters.

Tonight they can carve out a little piece of underage history with a three in a row of Munster titles. Then they can start tracking Wexford.

But Cork are undoubtedly nearing their regal best again and intent on diluting what should, in theory, become a golden era for Clare hurling.

There is a blueprint to beat Clare. “Because they are not big and physically strong they have to play a running game and when you meet a team that can run with you what happens then?” asked former Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins yesterday. “And that’s what happened with Wexford this year.”

Also consider that Cork march over the Limerick border this evening with the impressive scalp of Waterford hanging from their scabbard.

Style of play

There may be showers but the weather should be conducive to Clare’s style of play. If Kelly can shine then bookmakers five-point handicap should come to pass. The shame would be for these men to limp away so meekly from underage hurling after showing such resilience heretofore.

So, a Cork ambush or Banner revival? We’ll lean towards the latter.

CLARE: K Hogan; J Colleran, J Browne, S Morey; J Shanahan, C Cleary, G O'Connell; E Enright, C Galvin; B Duggan, T Kelly, P Duggan; A Cunningham, S O'Donnell, D Reidy. CORK: P Collins; S Murphy, C Barry, C Buckley; K Kavanagh, K Burke, K McIntyre; D Brosnan, R Cahalane; S O'Keeffe, C Spillane, M Collins; A Spillane, A Cadogan, R O'Shea. Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary).