Clare manager Brian Lohan was left to rue his side's late defensive collapse as he counted the cost of a 'gut-wrenching' defeat to neighbours Limerick in Ennis.
Nine points ahead with less than 20 minutes to play, the Banner conceded three goals as the All-Ireland champions survived an off-colour first half to get their drive for five off to the perfect start.
Lohan was disappointed with how his side defended as they were outscored 3-06 to 0-03 in the last quarter.
"It's gut-wrenching really," he said.
"Games are over 70-75 minutes, 80 minutes, and you have to perform for all of that time. We lost our concentration, we lost our shape and we lost the game.
"Some really poor goals, really poor defensive pieces of work. Very disappointing from our perspective," he told RTÉ's Saturday Sport. "Really disappointed with that last 10-15 minutes that we played."
Clare must pick themselves up for a trip to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh next week to face Cork, who also suffered an opening weekend reverse at the hands of Waterford.
Lohan was not looking for any sympathy regarding the quick turnaround.
"It's the same for all teams, whether you win or lose, it's four games, quick turnaround, just have to see if we can deal with it."
Winning Limerick manager John Kiely was happy with how his team responded to a wasteful opening period and was thankful that Clare did not put them away during a low key start to the second half.
"There was so much in that 80 minutes. First half we were giving away too many frees. We didn't capitalise on our possession and the chances we had. In the first half we had 18 chances to their 16 and yet we went in 4-5 points down. That was disappointing.
"We weren't in flow really," said Kiely.
Limerick 3-15
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 21, 2024
Clare 1-18
What a turnaround as the All-Ireland champions claw their way back with three second half goals.
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"The start of the second half wasn't great for us too, we struggled a bit. But the thing is Clare didn't hurt us at that time, if they had hurt us with three or four points at that time we'd have gone down 9 or 10," added Kiely, perhaps not aware in the immediate aftermath of the game that they did slip nine points behind after 52 minutes.
"The impact of the bench has to be the biggest piece of the day for us. All the lads that came on gave us energy, gave us possession, gave us line breaks, gave us chances, gave us scores, they gave us everything."
On a warm day in Ennis, Limerick at times did not seem at their intense best, which Kiely put down to an injury-disrupted spring.
"Energy levels there were huge today. There were times fellas were going to be struggling, being involved in a few plays together and you have to gather yourself again.
"A lot of our lads haven't a huge amount done, a lot of injuries during the spring. For a lot of these it was only there first or second game of the year. There is only so much you can expect. I know they'll come on from this. This will bring them on a tonne."
The rest of the hurling world may not want to hear that Kiely believes his history-chasing charges will take huge confidence from that last 15 minutes.
"It's not the prettiest, not the best, but we know there is huge improvement there for us, but it is a great confidence filler for us that in that last quarter, which has been the worst quarter for us during the league, we found our best quarter."
