Tall order facing Clare and Clohessy
Alan Clohessy is hoping that the Clare senior footballers can create history this weekend and become the first team from the Banner County since 1992 to secure the Munster SFC title.
It has been a barren spell for Clare in the 20 years since, plying their trade in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League in recent years to little acclaim.
Granted Clohessy and his colleagues have come within a whisker of qualifying for a league final berth, but the current Clare captain says it is going to be tough against Cork in Sunday's provincial final.
"Cork are part of the couple of elite teams that are probably looking at winning an All-Ireland every year in the last couple of years," he said.
"In fairness to them they probably look at themselves and say that they should have another couple more All-Irelands won.
"We recognise that and I think everybody in the country realises that they are one of the favourites for the All-Ireland. They are one of the teams that everybody would like to beat and would aim to beat.
"It is a tall order, but it's something we look forward to - that kind of a challenge."
From life in the trenches of Division 4 to being cast into the limelight thanks to a Munster final berth - it has been a strange few weeks for Clohessy and the Banner players.
"It's strange for us now to be cast into the limelight, I'm only getting used to the microphones at this stage. It's definitely different because it isn't something I have been used to before.
"It is a welcome change. Too often there is no light shed on Clare football at all and it's great that there is interest starting around it and it can only add to the feeling around about how the final will go for us definitely."
A veteran of the Clare side at this stage, Clohessy was handed the captaincy this year and says he is immensely proud to be leading his county into a rare provincial final appearance.
"It's a great honour number one and even to be playing in a Munster final it's a great boost to everyone in the panel," he added.
"Everyone now is just looking forward to the day and getting in the mood for it now. There's a lot of thoughts running through my head heading into this final.
"Thinking of the game, the heartbreak Clare have suffered over the years - thinking things through and what can happen in the game and other things like that.
"Sometimes you can be too busy thinking about it, but it's great to be thinking about it and looking forward to it.
"It's a great opportunity number one and it is something when I have always been playing for Clare to aim at, to win a Munster title for Clare."
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