Daly's concerns focused on surface

All-Ireland SHC Quarter-final: This type of hurling provides ample ammunition to the begrudgers. Wexford simply failed to show up. Séamus Murphy may have done all he can for the cause, but a definitive decision on the manager's future will be held off for a few weeks.

"I've made suggestions about where I am going but today is not the day for it," he cryptically stated when asked about next season. "I'll sit down with my selectors in the next 10 days and see where I'm going."

Murphy admitted, as in last year's collapse to Clare, his team failed to reach a competitive standard. Whose fault is that? "We have a huge problem with injuries and it hasn't got better. Starting today's game we were down five players. Everyone was talking of Darragh Ryan and Darren Stamp but there was also PJ Nolan and Des Mythen. They came on but everyone needs to be 100 per cent fit."

The manager also cited the loss of retired players like Adrian Fenlon.

Clare manager Antony Daly will be back in Croke Park next month for a second successive All-Ireland semi-final. Last year they rattled Cork. This time they will be asked to find a way past Kilkenny.

Daly was more concerned with conditions underfoot than with the opposition. Colin Lynch was pulled off with an ankle strain, while Clare players complained about the slippy, rock-hard surface. "The number of guys who are slipping, and we tried every possible stud. Every guy changed his boots at half-time and still you had fellas slipping.

"It's lovely to stand on but when you try to run and turn it's dangerous. Colin Lynch was more a precaution but when we were nine ahead and you have to consider maybe we had another round to play.There is a good bounce of the ball and cut of the grass but it's like concrete underneath.

"Colin Lynch wasn't anyone's fault but the field. Niall Gilligan also went over near the end."

Daly said the panel applied the lessons of Cork and Kilkenny - who struggled to defend big leads on Saturday - by denying Wexford even a peek at any sort of revival. When asked to pick outstanding performers - Tony Griffin was named man of the match - Daly said Brian Lohan was having the season of his life.

"Another four or five years left in the man . . . Daithí (O'Connell) did well when he came in. He has been going well in training. I'm not trying to sound like Brian Cody but that is the way we try and do it as well so we wanted to get him in there."