Clare 2-19 Dublin 0-14: It wasn't too cold in Donnycarney on Saturday. For a modest crowd that was a meagre blessing. The hurling offered little that was warm or nourishing. Clare played at half a gallop and won handily. Dublin toiled like men who are beginning to suspect that the corner they've been turning for so long is actually just an eternal circle.

Dublin's second double-digit defeat in a week was of a smaller scale to the first but just as demoralising. Clare didn't have to be at full strength to swat Dublin away like flies. The home side managed five points from play and the fact that a pair of those were sublime efforts from Emmet Carroll only heightened the sense of impoverishment surrounding the rest of the forwards, bar David Curtin.

Clare begin this season as they have most recent ones - battling against intimations of their own mortality. Very few of the Loughnane empire remain but those who do are as important to the morale as to the physical wellbeing of the team.

Of the rest Anthony Daly is making a decent side, braced for independent flight.

The weight won't always be carried on old shoulders. Diarmuid McMahon and Gerry Quinn weren't asked to play at championship pace at midfield on Saturday but did enough to ensure that Dublin, having begun with a different midfield to the previous Sunday, finished the afternoon with a different midfield also.

Of more interest on a day when their half forwards were quite muted was the performance of the inside line. Clare, so notoriously wanting of incisors over the years, could use days like these as confidence builders. Niall Gilligan , Tony Griffin and Tony Carmody snapped and cut till they had accounted for 1-8 by half-time. Dublin had removed two of their own full-back line by then.

Griffin gave poor Tom Russell a torrid time on the edge of the square and had already spurned one good goal chance when he turned inside again on 16 minutes and demanded a good save from Gary Maguire which Carmody then turned into the net to leave Clare seven points clear.

Dublin hung on. Just about. A good run from Stephen Hiney almost set Keith Elliot up for a goal and three calm frees from Curtin kept Dublin within touching distance. Carroll finished the half with two lovely points inside a minute to narrow the gap to four points .

After half-time Clare closed off the business coldly. Gerry Quinn and Keith Elliot exchanged points before Diarmuid McMahon jab-lifted a loose ball and drove it to the Dublin net. Lynch, Griffin and Carmody (twice) added points before Clare decided to clock off for the afternoon.

The first of Carmody's pair seemed designed to emphasise the heaviness of Dublin's pace. Seán McMahon drove a long free down the right and into the corner. Gilligan picked and drove it back across the face of the goal. Carmody in so much space he could have got planning permission for a sports hall, caught the pass and popped it over the bar.

Clare with a makeshift full back line which will soon be refurbished (Brian Lohan's shoulder is almost cured, Ger O'Grady's rest is over) looked vaguely threatened at times but the sirens never sounded.

Afterwards Humphrey Kelleher spoke about the programme his team are undertaking. He was adamant and firm in his faith.

"You have Waterford next" said somebody. Kelleher smiled politely but the interruption prompted the memory of the dizzy day in Dungarvan just two years ago when Dublin went into the half-time break 15 points ahead of the Munster champions and held on against a gale to win.

Three of that starting 15 started in Parnell Park on Saturday. Faith is a mighty thing.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; G O'Meara, T Russell, S O'Shea; C Meehan, R Fallon, M Carton; T Sweeney, R Brennan; D Curtin (0-9, frees) K Elliot (0-1), E Moran; E Carroll (0-2), S Hiney, J Kingston. Subs: M Breathnach for Russell (17 mins), P Bergin for O'Shea (33 mins), G Bennett (0-1) for Sweeney (45 mins), T McGrane for Brennan (50 mins).

CLARE: D Fitzgerald; C Harrison, C Plunkett, B O'Connell; D Hoey, S McMahon, A Markham; D McMahon (1-0), G Quinn (0-1); F Lohan, D O'Rourke, C Lynch (0-2); N Gilligan (0-4, frees), T Griffin (0-5), T Carmody (1-6) Subs: C Forde for Hoey (ht), D O'Connell for O'Rourke (49 mins), J Clancy for Gilligan (53 mins), K Kennedy for Harrison (53 mins), B Quinn for Plunkett (yellow card, 62 mins), A Quinn (0-1),for G Quinn (64 mins).

Yellow Card: Plunkett replaced by B Quinn (62 mins).

Referee: D Murphy ( Wexford).