Cork's defeat to Waterford in their Munster Championship opener last weekend was a huge blow to the county.
They entered this year's championship with hopes of making a deep run in both provincial and All-Ireland competition this summer, with the side having steadily progressed in recent times.
It seems things were set up for them to start the competition in convincing fashion, with Waterford entering the fixture on the back of a hugely disappointing league campaign. Of course, they could not get the job done.
For Cork, it was a result that some feel sums up the recent history of the team.
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Joe Canning reveals opinion he had of Cork during playing days
When you consider the resources at Cork's disposal, there is no doubt that they have underperformed at inter-county level over the last 15 years or so.
Indeed, many players who faced them over the course of their playing career felt that a soft underbelly in the team meant that they were not major competitors at the highest level.
Writing in the Irish Times, Joe Canning recalled how that dynamic usually played out during his time with Galway.
Throughout my Galway career we always regarded Cork as fragile.
Nice hurlers and all that, but not a team to be afraid of in a close game, going down the stretch. I think I lost one championship game to Cork – and I’m talking about U16, minor, U21, senior...
The only way to change that perception is to deliver in high-pressure situations and in pressure games. That’s the challenge facing Cork on Sunday (against Clare).
Cork will face Clare this weekend in a game that already look like a must win, otherwise their championship campaign could be all but over before we even reach the summer.
For a county of their resources, that would be yet another opportunity wasted.
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