Ger Loughnane is inclined to think it will be easy enough to do when the time comes. After three high-yield years as Clare's hurling manager, he believes the end of the road is in sight and accepts as much.

"It will be like when I retired from playing. As soon as the decision was made I put down my sticks and even now I hardly ever hit a puck in training."

Before last September's All-Ireland final, Loughnane intimated that he would step down this year by stating that he saw four years as the limit of any inter-county managerial appointment. Even the renewed enthusiasm generated by spring and the beginning of the National League hasn't changed his mind.

"Mentally I'm approaching this year as my last. I'm ready to make one big burst and I'd say that would be the mentality of the Clare players. Conor Clancy, Fergie Tuohy, Anthony Daly, maybe Liam Doyle, the Sparrow (Ger O'Loughlin) will all be thinking about their position after this year.

"Everyone knows that this is my last year. Time-wise it's so draining. Mary, my wife, has a business in Ennis and I try to help with that, there's the school - he is a teacher - and hurling and serving the whole lot is difficult.

"Players would be better off not having to listen to the same voice all the time. A change of management can freshen up players. Someone like Jamesie O'Connor has been listening to me at county level every year since he was an under-21."

The rapid transformation of the county's fortunes in the last three years, which has seen Clare's Munster title count doubled and the All-Irelands' tally trebled, is reflected in the attitude within the camp compared with the All-Ireland triumph of 1995.

"This time two years ago," says Loughnane, "everyone was exhausted, there was no great appetite. This time it's different. After the initial celebrations that was it, everyone was looking forward to next year. The biggest satisfaction you get is playing. Celebrations are all very well, one of the sideshows that go with it, but the real thrill is playing."

One of the big problems that confronts successful management teams is the question of renewal. There is a fine line between consistency and staleness. Even allowing for the young age-profile of Clare's 1995 team, it was nonetheless remarkable that it was largely unchanged two years later and Loughnane doesn't foresee a radical departure from last year's panel. "Everyone is still there and they've proven themselves on the big occasion."

The team for Sunday's eagerlyawaited league match against neighbours Limerick includes the siting of captain Anthony Daly at corner-back. This is a position with which Daly is well familiar, having begun his inter-county career in the full-back line.

Loughnane denies that concerns over Daly's lack of pace and sluggish current form have prompted the change which switches Daly and Frank Lohan.

"I'd say anyone who saw the roasting he got off Adrian Ronan in the League final in '95 wouldn't have thought he'd get the next three championships at half back. I never worry about a player's form going at this time of the year.

"We have to see if Frank Lohan is an option there. I'm not so much concerned about Daly as keen to find out if Frank can operate on the wing. He performed well there in training last year marking Jamesie (O'Connor) and is a very good attacking player, he scored two points against Antrim."

Tomorrow's match on the Ennis Road is expected to attract a big crowd. Last year's League meeting of the counties drew 17,000 to the same venue for a fairly good impersonation of championship intensity. Loughnane, however, isn't carried away by the comparison.

"It's not the same thing no matter how you build it up. We've only had one hurling session, on St Patrick's Day, since we started back. There's a long way to go.

"There's always great rivalry between Clare and Limerick. In the 1996 (Munster campionship) game even though we were beaten the atmosphere was tremendous. I regard this (summer) as Limerick's last chance and I think they'll struggle if they don't win this year."

Added intrigue is added to the match by the first competitive meeting as managers of Clare's Loughnane and Limerick's new manager Eamonn Cregan, with whom Loughnane exchanged words on television on the night of the All-Ireland. The two have since met at a benefit match between the counties in support of St Flannan's College in Ennis and both have stated that they regard the incident as forgotten.

"I regarded it as a normal altercation," says Loughnane. "I was in the hotel at the time but mentally I was still in Croke Park. It takes a few weeks to come down from the experience of winning an All-Ireland."