Clare manager Brian Lohan cut a bitterly disappointed figure after his side's 1-25 to 1-22 loss to Kilkenny in today's All-Ireland Hurling Championship semi-final.
After being five points down at the break, Lohan's changes helped to claw back Kilkenny's lead, but they were unable to squash a very accurate and determined Black Cats side.
While Lohan did acknowledge the difficulty for Colm Lyons of reffing in the hostile Croke Park environment, he did state that 'maybe he didn't have his best game today', and commented on what he felt were easy frees won by his opponents.
Disappointed. I'm disappointed to lose the game against a really good opponent, a really tough team, a very accurate team as well. Yeh, disappointed.
In these games you try a number of things. At half-time we were looking at it, we were five points down, so it didn't work as well as we would have liked it to work.
So we decided to push up and I think our players played great in that second-half, and just a little bit unlucky.
Clare Manager Brian Lohan Talks After Kilkenny Defeat
Clare manager Brian Lohan is disappointed but magnanimous in defeat. pic.twitter.com/2uBNBclrZw
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 9, 2023
READ HERE: Analysis: The Reasons Beyond The Refereeing That Explain Clare's Loss To Limerick
"Got scores a little bit easier," added Lohan.
"They probably got frees a little bit handier than we got them as well. So ye it's disappointing from our perspective.
Look, everyone has tough jobs to do, it's a tough place to be for a referee, but maybe he didn't have his best game today."
Kilkenny will now face Limerick in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final on Sunday, July 23.
SEE ALSO: Eoin Murphy Produces Out Of This World Save To Hand Kilkenny Win Over Clare
