LITTLE to be learned in Ennis yesterday, save for the sad fact that as hurting has thrived Kerry have regressed. This was a sad, travesty of a mismatch. Clare, with one eye on their engagement with Cork a fortnight hence, contented themselves with picking off points for most of the game. At one point we expected the public address announcer to request that Clare players form an orderly queue for point scoring.

Standing in the drizzle afterwards John Meyler, the Kerry manager, shook his head and pointed his finger towards the root of Kerry's disease.

"I haven't the players. We played here two years ago and 10 of that team were missing today. We can't afford that in Kerry. We just can't afford that."

Clare have the players, alright. The unfortunate conclusion being drawn, however, is that those who won the All Ireland two years ago are still the best, stale or not.

What was learned yesterday by Clare's Ger Loughnane and his beetle browed selectors? The defence is sound, the only selection headache on bigger days will be whether to play Frank Lohan (not available yesterday due to suspension) in place of Brian Quinn.

Elsewhere the doubts raised by the last three rounds of the National League remain in tact. Midfield will be a worry this summer. Ollie Baker didn't start yesterday and Fergal Hegarty cried off late through injury. That left two young lads, Colin Lynch and David Forde, looking after business. They sufficed, but one doubts if Clare will trust them when the voyage gets tougher.

Up front, Niall Gilligan had a fine game yesterday and Barry Murphy wasn't far behind him in terms of contribution. Murphy saw plenty of ball but an understandable desire to append some impressive statistics to his name led to him clinging to the ball a couple of times when he would have been better to release it.

Enthusiasm for the young players - cause must be modified however by a realistic appraisal of Kerry's defence, which conceded 27 scores. Maybe Gilligan and Murphy will struggle on other days, but for yesterday at least they prospered and the evidence is that they are the best of the crop which Clare have been developing for the past two years.

For their part, Kerry started with an enthusiasm which belied their ability. They stayed on level terms with Clare for the first 10 minutes or so and when T J Curran launched a 90 yard free over the Clare bar on 19 minutes Kerry were still just three points behind.

Trouble was hiding behind the next tree, however, and Clare scored 2-2 in the next five minutes, (P J O'Connell poaching both goals) to put the issue beyond doubt by the break. That little passage, the equivalent of slashing Kerry's artery, finished the affair and allowed Clare to get on with the business of practising their point taking. Gerry O'Sullivan retrieved a late first half goal for Kerry but even then the cause looked lost.

After the break Clare opened their shoulders a bit and played some exhibition hurling. There were moments of panache which we probably won't see from them again, this summer, the most notable being Barry Murphy's audacious overhead flick to pass the ball into the palm of P J O'Connell.

They rattled away, giving Fergie Tuohy a run late on and allowing Jamesie O'Connor to absorb the cheers as he was withdrawn.

Clare have worries to cope with for the next fortnight. Being pushed to the precipice of relegation was imperfect preparation for the start of the championship, but the clinical manner of yesterday's exercise wilt have served as a tonic. If Murphy (especially) and Gilligan can use yesterday as a turning point the summer might yet be filled with promise.