Sixty seven scores in 100 minutes. Just a single point between the teams at the finish.
The 2024 All-Ireland hurling final will live long in the memory.
But that's not much consolation to Cork, whose long wait for Liam MacCarthy goes on after losing a classic to Clare by the slimmest margin.
"Obviously, we're very disappointed," manager Pat Ryan told RTÉ Sport after the 3-29 to 1-34 defeat.
"We came up here to win today and we didn’t get over the line. All credit to Clare – they performed fantastically and probably just about deserved their victory in the end.
"The lads can be very proud of how they performed, but, at the same time, we came up here to win and we didn’t.
"We’ll lick our wounds and congratulate Clare. They’ll have a great couple of days and we’ll have a sad couple of days and fellas will go back to their clubs. We’ll regroup and see where that takes us."
'I'm devastated for our players.. they've represented the jersey and just couldn't get over the line'
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 21, 2024
Cork manager Pat Ryan reacts to heartbreaking defeat in All-Ireland hurling final#rtegaa
Report: https://t.co/4qoCBfKOaT pic.twitter.com/qrRZCfhoq6
To invoke the late Páidí Ó Sé, what were the grains of rice that tipped the scales?
"We probably didn’t take enough goal chances that we created," he said.
"We probably had another four or five goal chances except for the one that we did take [a brilliant Rob Downey solo effort] and we needed to take them. That was probably where the game lay."
Ryan also felt that after going seven points up inside 12 minutes, his players "allowed too many short puckouts".
"I think their stats were very good on that, the stats on their long puckouts probably weren't as good in the first half.
"They were able to work the ball out and we lost our shape inside in the full-forward line, trying to tackle from behind, and they got back into it.
Eibhear Quilligan denies Robbie O'Flynn with this magnificent save
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 21, 2024
Four minutes to find a winner....
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"But, look, there were loads of ebbs and flows in the game over the periods of time. They did a lot of good things that troubled us; we troubled them as well but we’re obviously disappointed."
There were a couple of contentious calls that went against Ryan’s team: Seamus Harnedy, their top scorer from play with 0-04, was denied what looked a definite 65 when Conor Cleary blocked his shot at goal.
Conor Leen got a fistful of Robbie O’Flynn’s jersey before the Cork substitute sent the chance of a 93rd-minute equaliser wide.
But Ryan refused to add vinegar to Clare’s wine.
"From where I was, back on the opposite 45, it looked like it," he said of the Harnedy call, adding that he hadn’t seen the O’Flynn incident.
"I don’t think that affected it – obviously, there are a couple of decisions that go your way and don’t go your way.
"Lots of fellas made mistakes. I don’t think Robbie’s miss at the end comes down to deciding the game.
"At the end of the day, Clare are the champions and we won’t be giving out about any of that stuff."
In his 17th inter-county season, Patrick Horgan contributed 0-12 (10f) of Cork’s total to regain the title of hurling’s all-time record scorer (716 points) from TJ Reid – and become this year’s top scorer - but lost his third final, as did 34-year-old Seamus Harnedy.
Despite him turning 36 in May, Ryan expects that "Patrick will be back next year ready to go. Patrick doesn’t need any plaudits. That’s the way he expects to play himself.
"I know people don’t believe it, but he doesn’t actually read into being the top of the scoring charts at all. The whole fact of being able to play hurling with Cork, that is his main aim all the time.
"Seamus was just carrying a bit of a hamstring towards the end [of normal time] even got a couple of scores in that situation but we couldn’t leave him on
"Disappointed we had to take him off. He was having a fantastic game for us, a great warrior, and showed his worth to our team today."
"The Cork public, which are the people we ultimately answer to, will be proud today of what they saw from the lads"
Despite today’s disappointment and the now 20-year drought, Ryan’s second season has felt like one of big progress for Cork, who twice beat seemingly invincible Limerick after appearing on the brink of an early exit from Munster.
"We came up here to win the All-Ireland," said Ryan. "That was our job. So that is two years now we haven’t won the All-Ireland, that is a disappointment from our side of things.
"I’m very proud the way the lads represented the jersey and the way they are playing for the jersey. That is key. We have a proud tradition and a lot of proud players have gone before us. It is key those lads would represent the jersey in that manner and I think they did today.
"Obviously, we could have played better and we could have done different things and we might have made a few better decisions on the line but you’ll always look at that. The lads can hold their heads up high and be proud of their performance.
"At the same time, we go home without a trophy. There is a lot to work on. There are areas we will try to look at and see how we can better the team, the whole situation of how we go about it and managing games.
"The Cork public, which are the people we ultimately answer to, will be proud today of what they saw from the lads.
"Obviously it’s heart wrenching for our group, but it’s show what we’re made of now going forward."
