CLARE LOOKING FOR ONE MORE MINOR MIRACLE

GER O'Connell says early setbacks were the making of All-Ireland minor hurling championship finalists Clare.

- BY PAUL KEANE

O'Connell's Clare face Waterford on Saturday in Thurles (5.15pm).

Clare lost to Cork and Waterford in the Munster round robin, forcing them down the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final route.

But huge wins over Dublin, Galway and then Munster champions Cork propelled the 2023 champions through to another national decider.

"We took massive learnings from the two losses," said O'Connell.

"I think the Cork defeat really exposed some of the areas we needed to work on, especially the second half of that game.

"I remember saying it to the lads when Munster was over, 'Munster is gone and it's a completely new tournament now'.

"We made four changes to the starting team and we made seven changes to the matchday panel for the Dublin game in the All-Ireland series.