Thousands of Clare supporters gathered Monday evening to celebrate their heroic All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final win against Cork.
The Banner fought for every inch and held on for a dramatic single-point win to end an 11-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
But even in the crowd of thousands of people, former teammates Brian Lohan and Anthony Daly could still find each other in the crowd and embrace as the Clare team brought the coveted Cup to Dalo’s Clarecastle on their homecoming tour.
Anthony Daly and Brian Lohan share an emotional moment here as Liam MacCarthy arrived in Clarecastle as the Clare homecoming made its way to Ennis.
Two warriors.
🎥Clarecastle Live pic.twitter.com/L7d14LtaoP— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 23, 2024
What the result meant to Clare's people was evident. There is a long tradition of hurling in Clare, although they have not necessarily always been the most successful side at the highest level. Before yesterday, they had won just four Liam MacCarthys, all but one of which came from the 1990s. They now have a fifth to add to that tally.
Few people love Clare more than Anthony Daly, with the Clarecastle man as passionate of a hurling man as you are likely to meet.
“It’s only our seventh time her,” Dalo said.
There was a lot of talk about five this year for our neighbours and what a team that has been, but for us to get our fifth one and for Brian to be in charge for me, it's an incredible, incredible moment.
They have suffered so much as a team, especially to that great Limerick team losing three Munster finals in a row. Kilkenny had them tortured in semis to come back and fight and say we’ve a chance to beat Wexford, to beat Kilkenny and to beat Cork in an epic and I agree we should be coming for another day.
An emotional Anthony Daly reacts to the Clare win
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📻 @rteradio1 pic.twitter.com/CyVyj6tAXA— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 21, 2024
Even at the Lohan's club Wolfe Tone you could see the passion felt after wining the All-Ireland as he was carried into the club house with the Liam McCarthy.
Home is the hero … Brian Lohan chaired into Wolfe Tones Clubhouse #whereitallbegan pic.twitter.com/U98G9tUF6r
— Clare Gaa (@GaaClare) July 22, 2024
Lohan has carried the traditions of former manager Ger Loughnane and the 1995 All-Ireland winning team as a member of that team has been involved with the Banner's All-Ireland in All-Ireland finals from Daly tenure in 2002, to Lohan's former teammate Davy Fitz in 2013.
Two photos of Ger Loughnane and Brian Lohan, twenty seven years between them.
The first at the Clare homecoming in '97.
The other in the Hogan Stand today.
Loughnane lit the torch. Lohan carried it forward. pic.twitter.com/g2TIvzCvLJ— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 21, 2024
The celebrations will continue throughout the week, and won't end any time soon.
