'Clare are vulnerable' ahead of Wexford clash: Jamesie O'Connor previews the All-Ireland quarter-finals

Clare must regroup for the All-Ireland quarter-final, but could be without Peter Duggan and Rory Hayes

Clare are vulnerable in Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final against Wexford. Very vulnerable.

And I felt that before the news broke that Rory Hayes and Peter Duggan will likely miss out through suspension.

Hayes is the shut-down corner-back for Clare. I know it didn't happen for him in the Munster final, but he is the guy who would likely have picked up Rory O'Connor. Meanwhile, Duggan's size is the focal point of the attack. And his size causes all kinds of issues for defenders.

They are two potentially massive losses.

For me, it is a treacherous game for the Banner. They put so much into the Munster final, and you'd have to wonder what it took out of them both mentally and physically. To go all the way with Limerick and come away with nothing, the Clare players have to be devastated.

Of course, they will be proud of their performance, but that is no consolation for a player. It's about medals and silverware. And they came up short.

Can Brian Lohan get them back up for the Wexford match?

Clare must bounce back from their Munster final disappointment

I was hugely impressed with the Model County when they came to Ennis during the National League. And they looked back to their best against Kilkenny in Nowlan Park. They looked like they had more energy and fire-power, and that they could live with the best teams.

You cannot underestimate the impact Lee Chin can have. He was not fully available for the games against Galway and Dublin, and he was badly missed.

He was the driving force against the Cats, winning ball and doing the simple things right, both out in the midfield and closer to goal.

With Chin back fully firing, Conor McDonald and Rory O'Connor can flourish. Both showed flashes of form throughout Leinster.

Darragh Egan got the match-ups right against Kilkenny. Liam Ryan and Damien Reck were willing to put their bodies on the line.

Wexford have to take massive confidence from that.

They got the job done against Tralee, and are heading to Thurles this weekend perhaps under the radar.

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Highlights of Wexford's win over Kilkenny

Meanwhile, any talk in Clare about another showdown with Limerick in the All-Ireland final would be dangerous. Thankfully, I don't think there is any of that around.

Everyone in the Banner realises that Saturday is a potential banana skin, and Clare are going to have to play well to get over it. Many in the county will be aggrieved over the suspensions too.

It's going to be a big ask, and if Wexford manage to put the shackles on Tony Kelly, Brian Lohan will need another forward to step up in the absence of Peter Duggan.

Cork gathering momentum?

Cork got a fright in Corrigan Park. It's not an easy place to go, and the Rebels had to travel the length of the country to get there.

The Saffrons led at half-time, before the visitors got over the line.

For a Cork player, you would have been trying to tell yourself all week that it is going to be a tough game, and that you will need to be up for it. But deep down, you know you're expected to win. And that can be dangerous.

Kieran Kingston's side weren't at the level they needed to be in the first half, and Antrim gave them loads of it.

But ultimately, it was all about getting the job done, and the Rebels can look forward to a showdown with Galway.

Cork had to work for their win over Antrim

As for Antrim, and indeed Kerry, it was always going to be hard to play seven days after the Joe McDonagh Cup final. Neither had the chance to properly dust themselves down and go again.

I know the calendar is congested, but they could look at giving the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists a couple of weeks before the preliminary quarter-final to give them every chance.

But ultimately, there is no getting away from the fact that there is a gulf in standards between the provinces and the Joe McDonagh. Cork and Wexford got the job done.

Antrim will compete in the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2023

Looking at the Leinster final, Cork will feel they have nothing to fear from Galway. The Rebels will need to get themselves prepared and get the match-ups right.

Semple Stadium will suit the Rebels. There is loads of space in Thurles, and they have vast experience at the venue, in games where they have got that running game going.

Cork are in a good place heading into the game. After the Clare match, it looked like their season was over. But they found momentum from somewhere, and if they roll over Galway on Saturday, it's full steam ahead once again.

The Tribesmen will be bitterly disappointed with their defeat to Kilkenny. They were so flat, and couldn't have any complaints. The game was played on the Cats' terms.

You can talk all you want about the management, but the players have to take responsibility for what happened on the field.

They have to be annoyed with how poorly they played.

Galway need to dictate the terms of engagement against Cork. They don't want to engage the Munster side in a shootout. If it becomes one of those free-flowing, high-scoring contests, the Rebels will win.

Galway need to keep it tight and make it a physical contest, disrupting the Cork running game.

Henry Shefflin's charges need to get a lot of things right.