Clare star Brendan Bugler.
By Cian O'Connell
Having soldiered in the Clare jersey in good and tough times, Brendan Bugler knows that every campaign will be judged against 2013.
That was when the Banner generated momentum in the All Ireland qualifiers, and by the end of September Liam McCarthy was residing in Clare again.
Encouraging signs were taken from how Clare dealt with Limerick a fortnight ago. "Definitely," Bugler agrees. "That's the frustrating thing, but it's also the positive thing for us as well that we knew that when we do get on a run, you can see that the lads seem to open up, and seem to do the business up front.
"When we're under that little bit of pressure, we don't seem to perform as well as we should be.
"That was a pleasing thing there's no doubt about it, the 10 or 15 minutes after half-time. We were playing good hurling, there's no doubt about that.
"But then the start of the second half we didn't play that well and we just looked, it was kind of frees that were keeping us that three or four points ahead all the time.
"We were lucky we had the couple of points built up before half-time."
Since that glorious adventure Clare have endured several narrow defeats in crucial contests, but Bugler is adamant that his team are now back operating on an appropriate stage. "One of the goals at the start of the year was to get back to an All-Ireland quarter-final," Bugler said.
Brendan Bugler is delighted to be back involved at the All Ireland quarter final stage.
"2013 was the last time we were there and 2008 was the last time before that. So we don't have a great record in getting to quarter finals.
"Since 2013, it's been woeful. 14, 15 just weren't good years for us. There was that added pressure that we need to get back to a quarter final. When you get to that stage, you're only three games from the big prize."
Bugler is adamant that Galway carry a potent threat, acknowledging how effective the Tribesmen were during the first half of the Leinster Final against Kilkenny.
"That’s exactly it and if we play the same way we did against Limerick we won’t beat that Galway team," is Bugler's verdict.
"We know that, both teams will be discussing how are we going to put 70 minutes together and who ever does do that will probably come out on top.
"People can talk about whatever they want to talk about, but for ourselves we are not talking about winning All Irelands.
"We are delighted number one to be back in a quarter final. As I said our record hasn’t been great in the last 10 years in getting to quarter finals.
"We are treating it as another game. It’s Galway and that’s all we are thinking about and if we can get over the line then we’ll think of whoever is next."
