Clare v Cork: Banner boss Brian Lohan says that losing an All-Ireland is "a bad place to be"
The legendary Banner full-back experienced joy and pain in finals as a player
Brian Lohan knows what it means to win two All-Ireland finals. He also knows what it is to lose one.
He recalls that there is no worse feeling. "It's a bad place to be," said the four-time AllStar. Lohan starred in Ger Loughnane's Clare team that was captained by Anthony Daly to the Liam MacCarthy Cup triumphs of 1995 and '97.
Five years later, Lohan would have gone up the steps of the Hogan Stand himself as the Banner's captain but instead it was Andy Comerford of Kilkenny's turn after the Cats won the final by seven points.
READ MORE: Bloodied Shane O'Donnell didn't catch Brian Lohan's stirring half-time talk v Kilkenny
READ MORE: Seán O'Donoghue juggling Cork captaincy with becoming a father ahead of All-Ireland final
Now 52, Lohan will manage Clare in an All-Ireland final for the first time. He knows about the tightrope act that is required on a day when winning and losing means absolutely everything.
"There is great excitement in it, but it's a game where you have to enjoy the excitement that is there, try to embrace it, while at the same time keep in the back of your head that this is a really competitive game," said the Banner boss.
"It's a game that everyone wants to be there, but nobody wants to be in a losing team in an All-Ireland final. It's worse than losing a semi-final, it's worse than losing a quarter-final. It's a bad place to be.
"While you're conscious of enjoying it, you do want to stay concentrated, you want to be tuned in to get the best out of yourself, to show your best abilities on that big day."
Cork are on a roll after their two wins over Limerick this summer but Clare won't fear the Rebels. For Lohan, Clare's comeback win over the Rebels at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the round robin stages - a must-win game for the Banner - was their stand-out performance of 2024 to date.
The key is to find that level again, something that Clare failed to do in the Munster final against Limerick and in the first half of the All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.
"I thought it was a really good game," he said of the 3-26 to 3-24 victory over Pat Ryan's side at the end of April. "I thought we played really well, it was probably our best performance of the year so far.
"Even though we did go down - we went seven down at one stage during the game - it was a really good game. We had to be really good to win. I don't think we've got to that level since then."
Still, that second half against Kilkenny came close. Just as in Cork, Clare had to deliver after trailing by five points at the break if they were to avoid a third semi-final defeat in a row at the hands of the Cats.
Their bench played a massive role in that turnaround success. "We had to think on our feet," he said. "It was kind of a test of character, too. "Absolutely, it was a good way to win and we feel that we can get better. Obviously, we can get better, too."
Limerick's Seamus Flanagan this week referenced the massive noise generated by Cork's supporters in their All-Ireland semi-final, and the Rebels have been the team of the summer in that regard.
Lohan, however, is expecting a massive Banner presence for the first All-Ireland final meeting of the Munster rivals since Clare's replay success in 2013.
"What I find is we have a great brand," he said. "It's brilliant to be involved in Clare hurling, it always has been brilliant to be involved in Clare hurling. I think our supporters, there is a real affinity with the team, with the individuals on the team. They see the work they're doing, how committed they are.
"Every day that they go out they give it all - we get a response from our supporters then. I don't know what the figures were, but I'd say it would have been three to one, four to one, or five to one, above at the semi-final the last day. That was from a team that was probably very disappointed with how we played in the Munster Final.
"Both matches against Limerick we made some mistakes, but they were still willing to support the team and get behind the team. There is that affinity there, we are conscious of that, and we are delighted with it. But it has to be respected, too."
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