Pointing to Clare's fast starts in both the drawn game and replay, he said: "My initial thoughts are that both days really we have been playing catch-up from the word go. (It's) a difficult thing to do, I think, really.

"In that situation you have to do everything right to get back into a game. We did an awful lot of things right, but eventually if you don't take everything that goes your way it's got to be perfect then at that stage and I think our luck eventually ran out.

"We were beaten by just about the better team on the day. On both days I have got to acknowledge that Clare deserved it."

Barry-Murphy's charges did put on a spurt before half-time, as points from Seamus Harnedy, Pa Cronin and free-taker Patrick Horgan (0-2) reduced the arrears to 3-9 to 1-11 at the break.

The Rebels showed their battling qualities again in the second half. Horgan had them level in the 52nd minute (3-10 to 1-16) and Harnedy's goal on the hour mark squared things up once more.

But they were left to rue some missed scoring chances - particularly Conor Lehane and Tom Kenny's failure to convert points at a crucial stage and Anthony Nash's close-in free which was blocked and the rebound put wide by Harnedy.

"That's one of the great imponderables now. If we had taken our chances when we got back to level it may have been a different story but we didn't," added Barry-Murphy.

"I just think we had too much to make up and it took a lot out of us and as I said our luck eventually ran out.

"After going eight points down I thought our performance before half-time and then equally in the second half...the lads were absolutely fantastic and they couldn't have done any more, in fairness to them.

"We made some substitutions and lads came in and made a difference as well, so it's tough but on both days you just have to acknowledge that Clare were the better team."

The Leeside legend said Clare's enhanced 'firepower' was an important ingredient in their success. The Banner men relied on points alone in the drawn game on September, and also failed to find the net when the counties clashed in June's Munster semi-final.

However, it was a different story yesterday as first hat-trick hero O'Donnell, Conor McGrath and substitute Darach Honan all raised green flags in Clare's magical march to All-Ireland glory.

Barry-Murphy agreed they were 'brilliant goals' from Clare and said teenager O'Donnell posed Cork 'a lot of problems' which stemmed from 'the quality of ball going into their full-forward line'.

"The last goal (from Honan) rounded it off from Clare's point of view, our lads fought to the last second and there is nothing more we could have asked for them. They were absolutely brilliant and I'm very, very proud of them. They are a credit to themselves.

"We've had some great occasions. We've lost the Munster final which is disappointing as well. But we had a couple of great days here beating Dublin and Kilkenny. It's a hard road today for the lads. It is tough for them but we will take our defeat like men and move on."