Diarmuid: Last year didn't go our way but Banner ready to rally

AS Clare leave their disappointing 2025 behind, Diarmuid Ryan feels the Munster Championship will, once again, come down to the smallest of margins.

- BY STEPHEN BARRY

The Banner entered as All-Ireland champions last year, but endured a torrid title defence disrupted by injuries.

Ryan, their high-scoring halfback, was among those struck down. An ever-present figure in their 2024 Liam MacCarthy triumph, the Cratloe clubman played just 20 minutes for Clare across League and Championship in 2025.

For all that went wrong, it wouldn't have taken a lot to go differently for Brian Lohan's side to have made the All-Ireland series.

"A point or two in a match, either side, can make or break the year," said Ryan. "If we'd beaten Cork that day by a point, we would have gone through. If we'd beaten Tipperary by a point, we could have gone through.

"It's the finest of margins, and it's four absolutely massive games in the year.

"If you come out of that - whether it's first, second, or third in Munster - you just know you're in the right direction. Your whole year can kickstart from there."

Their final-round clash with Limerick ended up being a dead rubber, but Ryan considers their five-point victory that day as significant.