Clare captain Pat O’Connor believes past regrets of not performing in Munster finals will drive his side on against Cork on Sunday.

The Banner county are without a Munster title triumph in 20 years and are looking to avenge their five-point defeat in last year’s final against the same opponents.

Clare arrive into the clash with considerable momentum having beaten Waterford, Tipperary and Cork in the championship.

And O’Connor feels Clare will not repeat the same mistakes that saw them convincingly beaten in Thurles last year.

“I think if you were to take this fixture last year in the Munster final between ourselves and Cork – we set up really defensively to negate [Anthony] Nash’s puck-outs,” O’Connor told Off The Ball.

“I think it was really to the detriment of our attacking play and we never really landed a punch in that match.

“If we are to push on and be successful; the Munster final last year will have been a seminal moment where we really took the focus back to ourselves and realised we had good players and we have important guys who are capable of standing up at this level.

“Cork beat us last year fair and square. They were worthy Munster champions and the backed it up again this year by arguably showing the most consistent form over the five weeks. They are worthy champions and a really top team.

“They have had silverware whereas we have been starved over the last number of years. And it will take a monumental effort from the guys and better than what we have produced so far.”

James Hopper