The league mattered that evening last month. Nearly 9,000 people poured out of the Gaelic Grounds and from the home contingent, the unease was apparent. Perhaps it was the fact that they were unaccustomed to Thursday night games. Or that the opposition was Clare, a county against which all games carry consequence.

Or perhaps it was the simple disparity in the scorelines. You cannot attribute a 3-21 to 1-13 deficit to sluggishness or inaccurate shooting or training schedules. It was a blitz, pointing solidly to a fundamental difference in standard. The general reading was that Clare were back. And Limerick . . .

"It was a funny thing all right. Prior to that match, many people had been writing Clare off and saying they'd have to spend a while developing a fresh squad. Then after that match, it was the complete opposite. They were certainly on song that evening and maybe they surprised us a little bit. I think that Limerick people maybe lost heart with us a bit after that. And we were disappointing," says Barry Foley.

In 1996, the first year Foley wore his county green at championship level, it took until the hurling Sunday in September for him to discover what disappointment was. His sporting life was joyously simple then. Limerick were on a roll, the giants of the day, hurling in a constant state of splendour. Foley was a coming kid from Patrickswell, shadowed by the headline names like Kirby, Galligan, Carey. If there was pressure, he never felt it.

"I was thinking `this is great, I'm on a winner here, I'm arriving at the right time," he smiles now.

Tom Ryan sprang him as a substitute and he loved it, whipping over a couple of points per game. He was out there for moments such as Carey's late, galloping point that ended the interests of Clare, the All-Ireland champions. By the time Limerick were facing up to Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final, Foley's claims were undeniable and he was named in the starting line-up. There he stayed and although the hurt of losing the final against Wexford was acute, the seasons ahead were flush with optimism. Limerick, after all, had been luckless in two of the past three finals. Their day was surely around the corner.

Foley has yet to hurl in a Munster final again, let alone the main day, and now finds himself captain of a side that Eamon Cregan is trying to kick-start against the resurgent powers in the province. Not many expect them to do anything other than experience renewed disappointment after tomorrow's first round clash against Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. There was much daylight between the sides in last summer's corresponding tie which Cork won 2-17 to 1-11, and anyway, there has been a stark difference in the counties' path lines since 1996. Cork's slow promise flowered into a sudden All-Ireland under Jimmy Barry Murphy. Limerick foundered. What has altered in the interim to suggest that Limerick are on the verge of reversing that form? "I don't think the scoreline gave a true reflection of last year's match," reckons Foley. "We were very much in the game until late on when Joe Deane got a goal to push them out of sight. But it isn't something that we are dwelling on, it was a bad result and we have since put it out of our mind. Nothing has changed this year, playing Cork is still a very tough task and we know they are a good side. But we believe if we play to our potential, well, we can get a result there."

Although Foley admits the experience of being dumped out of the championship in the first round for the past three years has been "devastating", he has refused to become despondent. Having lived a season with a team on song, he understands there is a thin line between being there and waiting for next year.

"This is an unforgiving competition and it asks a lot of a team. I think that getting the right blend between youth and experience is vital and we are approaching that now. As well as that, you have to have the patience. That is something that Eamon (Cregan) has repeatedly told us. He came in to try and shape a team that was at the end of one lifespan and build from there. He has tried things and some have worked, some have not. But we are learning all the time. Even that league defeat against Clare, that told us a lot about ourselves. And by heeding those lessons and then playing with the belief you need at this stage, we can take the steps forward."

Although captain, Foley still defers to senior players in the dressing-room.

"People like Ciaran and Stephen McDonagh will have their few words before the match as is customary, which is great. It is a great honour being captain and I try to fulfil the role by my efforts on the field, be it in training or during games." Tomorrow will test that leadership to breaking point. There is no easy passage through Munster but starting out by the Lee is about as tough as it gets. "I think it will be very tough for the first period, not very open. No doubt that Cork have an explosive full-forward line and we will be trying our best to to neutralise that and to minimise the supply line. If we can restrict them and impose our own game, we have a shout. But they are formidably strong. Brian Corcoran could be termed a huge loss for them but you look at their back line and it is still so strong. They are quite a team."

So isn't it true that the trail from Limerick will be made by people expecting this to be their only day out?

"The reaction is mixed at the moment," says Foley. "True enough, it's a demanding task but I think that people know we have some fine hurlers on this squad as well. Maybe we just need to get the breaks."

Perhaps it is as simple as that. The bright-eyed youngster in Foley remembers what a powerful element that sheer momentum was in 1996.

"Once you get that first boost, confidence surges through the team and it builds at an unbelievable rate. If we could get a win in Cork, I know it would have the same effect. And the thing about it is, we are all looking forward to it. This has been a long week and I think we are all looking forward to getting down there, to being out on the field. We want to enjoy it."