Ex-Limerick Boss Questions Clare 'Intimidation' Tactics In Cork Draw

All-Ireland hurling champions Clare showed signs of life in their comeback draw with Cork last weekend while Tipperary and Limerick also played out a thriller.

Widely hailed as the crown jewel of the GAA, the Munster Senior Hurling Championship provided some peak entertainment although it was not short of animosity.

Red cards were a prevalent theme in the Allianz League earlier this season, 14-man Cork notably thrashing 13-man Clare in a repeat fixture of the 2024 All-Ireland final.

A red card for Cork's Shane Barrett last week set the scene for Clare's comeback, the full forward appearing to strike David Reidy despite his side boasting a significant lead at the time.

Barrett's lashing out proved costly on the day and he will consequently miss Cork's crucial Championship clash with Tipperary on Sunday.

Meanwhile, there appeared to be some off-the-ball tensions between Cork's Alan Connolly and Clare's Adam Hogan throughout the contest, resulting in both men getting yellows.

Clare manager Brian Lohan asserted after the game that 'League is League and Championship is Championship' -hinting at a change of mindset from his side.

Former Limerick manager Tom Ryan, who guided the county to multiple provincial titles in the 1990s, has shared his belief that ill-discipline is 'out of control' in hurling right now.

A columnist for the Irish Daily Mail, Ryan has questioned Clare's antics out of possession during their fightback.

This intimidation of players isn’t on. The Clare tactics were obviously to get in the faces of Cork.

"You had Brian Lohan saying after, ‘League is League, Championship is Championship’. To me, brawling off the ball is not Championship.

He speculated: "The sending off of Shane Barrett was dubious. I’ve watched it many times back. The intimidation that was going on off the ball surely played a part. He hardly got involved for no reason.

"Something will have to be done. Because no referee could spot everything that was going on... Where is this (ill-discipline) going to stop? Who is going to stop it? It’s out of control."

Cork, who are without Barrett, have home advantage when they host Tipp at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, but The Premier County will be buoyed by their well-fought draw at home to Limerick.

Clare, meanwhile, travel to face Waterford in what could be a tricky tie at Walsh Park this weekend.