Will Slattery

Good to have you back on.

So, I mean, it's always the nature of Munster that a big name is going to go out.

We had the All-Ireland champions of 24 against the All-Ireland champions of 25 in like something approaching a playoff and the game was well signposted and well talked about and Clare going to Semple Stadium and surely, you know, we'd see a reaction from Tipperary and would we see a reaction from Clare?

And it finished Tipperary 17 points, Clare 125, an 11-point win for Clare.

There's no doubt we saw a reaction from Clare.

We'll talk about them in a few minutes.

But like, and Liam Cahill was more confused than anybody.

He was saying they'd been training so well, they were coming into this game feeling really good about things, that a performance was brewing, and they went out and were utterly flat.

And when you saw them having this very underwhelming league, I guess the temptation there is to make an allowance for All-Ireland champions.

But then by the same token, this isn't like you're winning an All-Ireland in September and things drift on.

You've kind of six months to digest that and get over that.

When you were watching them in the league, did you think this looks like real trouble or were you still willing to give them benefit of the doubt?

I mentioned Liam Carroll said after the game that they'd been training exceptionally well was how he put it.

And no reason not to think he's been entirely sincere about that.

And then was therefore at a bit of a loss as to explain the non-performance, you know, 15 wides, 17 points, the flat physicality, you know, kind of around the house's disappointing performance.

In your experience...

Why does that tend to happen or what does that speak of where things are flying in training and then it's a no-show on the big day?

energy that Clare had Tib just couldn't match it Do you buy into this notion that they're not good champions like Tipperary traditionally they don't tend to follow up a good year with a good year

maybe this Tipperary squad should have bigger ambitions they should be thinking we can win two in a row or three in a row but it's hard to do And do you think Liam Cal's been on the road a while now when you consider Waterford now into Tipperary the way you're talking there about some of the elder statesmen a little bit of a rebuild required perhaps do you get the impression Cal's sticking around?

So to Clare, you mentioned you've kind of had a soft spot for this Clare team.