What a difference a year makes.
The comeback kid Ryan Taylor was hugely influential as Clare over-turned Kilkenny with a powerful second half display in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Losing by five points at half-time, Clare were playing poorly and looked set for a third successive All-Ireland semi-final loss to the Cats.
But despite the concession of a second half goal to Billy Ryan, Clare hung in the game with David McInerney, Peter Duggan and Mark Rodgers all brilliant as they clawed Kilkenny back.
Their bench also had a big impact with Ian Galvin and Ryan Taylor posing plenty of problems for the Kilkenny defence.
What makes Taylor's display all the more impressive is that this was his first game of the year for Clare, having torn his cruciate knee ligament in the corresponding fixture last year.
6 July 2024; Ryan Taylor of Clare in action against Cian Kenny of Kilkenny Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
The Clooney-Quin player was back to his very best on Saturday showing that he hasn't lost any of his trademark pace and athleticism.
Fittingly, it was Taylor who ran out of defence with the last ball of the game as referee Liam Gordon blew the whistle to signal Clare's 0-24 to 2-16 victory.
Speaking on The Saturday Game, Jackie Tyrrell said Taylor 'changed the game.'
"I thought Ryan Taylor actually changed the game when he came in," said the Kilkenny legend.
"Just a different flow. Cian Kenny was having a huge game, as soon as Taylor came in, he was pushed to half forward, he just hadn't the legs with Taylor's energy.
He's so bubbly and he got on ball and he connected the defence to the attack as the link man."
Clare man Anthony Daly praised Taylor for the work he has put in to get back to this stage.
"Ryan Taylor was on his bike (with the last ball), the whistle must have been music to his ears.
"What has he gone through in the twelve months to try and get himself back," said Dalo.
Jackie Tyrrell also praised Clare's tactic of dragging Huw Lawlor away from his full back position during that second half.
"What they did do which was really clever, they brought Huw Lawlor away from the edge of the square," said Tyrrell.
"How many times did we see little balls into the corner which Huw doesn't really like. Reidy, small little dinky players, they got a lot of joy out of that because Huw doesn't like that.
"Long balls to the edge of the square, he'll eat them up all day."
Clare advance to the All-Ireland final in a fortnight's time where they'll take on Cork/Limerick.
