WITH THE PRE-MATCH fanfare more sedate this time around, Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy says that Saturday’s All-Ireland hurling replay has lost the aura of a final.

Whether that is better or worse is a moot point. What matters is how Barry-Murphy and his opposite number, Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald, manage the difference.

“It has been a bit unusual,” the Rebel boss explained. “I’ve never been in this situation before. None of us have been.

“You just have to get over the anti-climactic feeling after the game and it’s the same for Clare.

“Training has gone well since. We’re very pleased with it. It’s just a case of continuing what we were doing before the final and trying to learn from our mistakes from the last day.”

By the time the sides meet again under the Croke Park lights on Saturday evening, it will be almost three full weeks since the dramatic final which captivated the country.

“We just took a few days off to reflect on the game and give the lads a bit of a break from us,” Barry-Murphy says on the long gap between final and replay.

“They needed a break from the whole situation.

It is draining for the players mentally as well. You’re building up for a big final and you have all of the razzmatazz that goes with it. Obviously there’s a lot less of that for the replay.

From that point of view it has been pretty good. Training has gone very well and we’re very pleased with it.

“We just had a look at the game and analysed it and went over a good few things ourselves. We’re very pleased so far. The players have responded great to it.”

He added: “There are a lot of different issues in the build-up to the final as we all know, getting gear, all of the razzmatazz that goes with the function after the game, a lot of side issues that have to be dealt with.

“It’s more of a game now than it is a final.”

If Cork are to succeed where they failed last time out and clinch the county’s 31st senior hurling title, Barry-Murphy knows that they will need to improve.

Clare looked to have one hand on the Liam MacCarthy Cup in the drawn game but three second-half goals kept Cork within touching distance before a Pa Horgan point gave them the lead for the first time late on.

It fell to Clare corner-back Domhnall O’Donovan to fire over the equalising point deep into stoppage time — his first-ever Championship score — and force Saturday’s replay.

Barry-Murphy said: “Clare played very well on the day and people have made this comment that they can’t play as well again the next day but I don’t accept that at all.

“They’ve had three very good displays in a row so why can’t they do it again?

“That’s only looking for comfort for yourself if you’re doubting your own ability.

I thought that Clare were fantastic the last day. I don’t see any reason why they can’t play as well again. They’re a young team with no inhibitions so we’ve got to raise our own game to match them really rather than focusing on them not playing as well.

He added: “We’ve got to look at our own display and I certainly wouldn’t be looking for any comforts in the situation that Clare mightn’t play as well again. I think that that’s rubbish to be honest with you.

“I’d be thinking that they will play as well again and that we’ll have to up our game completely to have a chance of winning.”

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