A year on from losing the provincial decider in a heartbreaking penalty shootout against Tipperary, Clare won the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship with a seven-point victory over Cork on Tuesday night.
"It's a massive step in their development," Banner manager Brian O'Connell told Clare FM after Tuesday evening's win.
"The ups and downs of sport, it can be cruel at times and we know what it was like last year. It really strengthened their character.
"They've done a good bit of work with Paul Flanagan on the Clare senior team in terms of how to relax and play in the moment, and concentrate on the here and now as opposed to any outside factors or anything that can throw them off the job in hand. I'm really impressed with how they managed that again tonight.
9 May 2023; Clare manager Brian O'Connell before the 2023 Electric Ireland Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship Final match between Cork and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
"It's hard to faze them. They just take it all in their stride. They have confidence in themselves, confidence in what they're at in terms of how they want to play. When they click, and get into their stride, they are really, really, impressive, and a joy to watch.
"We talked in the dressing room before the match about how it could be a really good week for Clare hurling, after the U20s being here [on Monday night].
"I thought the boys, in the second half in particular, were just magnificent. They worked so hard, dug really deep, picked off their scores when they needed to. There were some powerful displays all over the field."
23 April 2023; Paul Flanagan of Clare during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 1 match between Clare and Tipperary at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
One of those particularly effective Clare displays was by corner-back and captain Eoghan Gunning who was named Man of the Match.,
"He was magnificent, in fairness to him," said O'Connell.
"It could have been a number of lads, they put in such a great shift. There's something special about Eoghan when he comes out with the ball from the back. The ball just seems to stick to him like glue. The crowd get a real buzz of him. He's a real crowd favourite. They really like to see him hurl."
As he stood on the steps of the stand at Semple Stadium, Gunning spied some Broadford clubmates. It was an emotional moment.
9 May 2023; Eoghan Gunning of Clare in action against Carthaigh Cronin of Cork during the 2023 Electric Ireland Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship Final match between Cork and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
"It's incredible," he added about his Clare teammates.
"I love every single one of those lads. To be representing them is just amazing. We deserve to be Munster champions, I think.
"It's special. It's what you dreamed of when you were younger, lifting trophies and winning championships with Clare. Please God, it won't be the last one.
"Our work rate, our turnovers, everything that we've talked about, everything that we've worked on in training, it just showed on the scoreboard."
In the All-Ireland semi-final, Clare will face the runner-up in Friday's Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship decider between Galway and Kilkenny.
In Pictures: Clare Win First Munster Minor Hurling Title In 12 Years
