Yet again, Clare enter the serious stages of the Munster football championship as outsiders, though not perhaps as in previous years, when they had to de-ice themselves, so far out in the cold did they seem in comparison to the big two of Cork and Kerry.

Clare have attained a reputation for solidity since the improbable Munster final success of 1992 and have taken Cork's scalp in the intervening years. But 1992 still stands in isolation and, even if there is no longer a gulf in standards and even if Clare are now consistently competitive, they still exist on a slightly lower plane.

Pat Begley saw the good and bad in his side over the league, over which they secured their ambition of survival but now as he prepares for tomorrow's visit to Cork, his team has been struck by a crippling spate of injuries. There has been little to no good fortune. Martin Daly has been advised to retire from top-class football by medical consultants and Ger Keane also faces debilitating disc trouble. In all, Clare might be short six men who started last year's Munster final against Kerry.

"It has been hard," he acknowledges. "Martin Daly, Ger Keane - these are all veteran championship men and I suppose few teams could afford to lose them. But you have to try and be positive and we will use the resources we have to the best of our ability."

Begley rejects the notion that privately, Clare might have begun to reconciled themselves to the idea of an alternative progression through the losers' group. The losers of tomorrow's semi-final meet Laois and tough as that prospect might be, it is not as severe as a mountainous climb against Cork and then Kerry to emerge from Munster.

"To be honest, we have not even mentioned the losers' round. If we don't win in Cork, we are out of the Munster championship. All we are concerned with is avoiding that."

But how? The bright spot for Begley is that the pressure is totally on Cork.

"Well, that is always the case, but yes, this is a big year for Larry Tompkins and with the hurlers gone, anticipation will be keener than ever down there. But they showed what they were capable of against Kerry last year, there was really only a kick of the ball in the Munster final by the end. This is a good side who almost took an All-Ireland not so long ago, so they have the experience as well."

Begley went along to see Cork in a challenge game last week and admits that he was somewhat surprised to learn that captain Colin Corkery had been demoted.

"He came on as a sub in that match and he looked very sharp, his kicking was incredible and he was deadly from placed balls. Maybe carrying a little in excess weight but not too much. It just highlights the depth of their squad."

Clare's critical short-coming over the winter has been their finishing, especially in close games. Both Meath and Cavan escaped their clutches by a couple of points. Against that they constructed notable wins over Sligo and Derry. Accuracy tomorrow is a must if Clare are to stay in touch.

"I reckon it will be hard and fast over the first 20 minutes. We know what to expect from Cork and while we greatly respect them, we won't go in there with any fear," he says.

If Clare prevail tomorrow, it will be hailed as one of the shocks of the championship. There will be no surprise and no recriminations if they go down gamely and see what happens in the losers' round. But Begley is hopeful that the outcome will not be so tame.

"I have to say I am looking forward to this. We are up against it but we have some good young footballers. The championship is what you are judged upon and this really is what we have been working towards all season.

"The preparations have not been ideal but we have come to terms with that and work around it."