Kilkenny might have been comprehensively beaten by Clare yesterday, in Brian Cody's own words, but the reigning All-Ireland champions won't be too concerned about their own hopes.
However, everyone is sitting up and taking notice of 2013 All-Ireland champions Clare after that impressive 4-22 to 2-19 in the Allianz Hurling League semi-final.
Irish Independent sportswriter Vincent Hogan was hugely impressed by what Davy Fitzgerald's side had to offer as he relayed to Off The Ball.
"You come out of Division 1B and you produce a performance like that. It was stunning. It's after electrifying the whole hurling landscape, I have to say because it's so early to see that done to Kilkenny," he said.
"I was standing in the dressing room tunnel after the game and the one thing that struck me looking at the Clare players is A) they're a very big team and B) they're in incredible physical condition. They really are honed to the nth degree and you could see that."
Highlighting the coherence of the Clare performance and how they had "big men under the ball all the time", he admitted it was "massively impressive".
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