Clare are considering pulling out of this year's All-Ireland hurling championship after four of their players were banned for a month for their part in the pre-match brawl with Cork at Semple Stadium.
Speaking to RTE, Clare county chairman Michael McDonagh indicated the county will appeal the bans to the Central Appeals Committee and, if necessary after that, the Disputes Resolution Authority, saying they would defend the players "at all costs".
McDonagh also claimed Clare could withdraw from the championship entirely with the county board meeting tonight to discuss the matter
"The grass roots in Clare are saying why should we take part in something when we don't seem to be getting a fair crack of the whip," he added.
Seven of the eight hurlers facing suspension for their part in the fracas in Thurles last month have had their bans upheld. Clare players Barry Nugent, Alan Markham, Andrew Quinn and Colin Lynch and Cork's Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Diarmuid O Sullivan and Dónal Óg Cusack have each received four week suspensions.
Cork defender John Gardiner escaped sanction.
The suspensions were dished out last night at a meeting of the GAA's Central Hearing's Committee which reconvened at Croke Park after last week's initial meeting was adjourned.
The investigation followed recommendations by the Central Competitions Control Committee that the eight players be suspended for four weeks each and that the two county boards be fined.
The three Cork players will now miss Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Waterford unless any appeal they may launch is successful. Gardiner, though, is cleared to play at Semple Stadium.
The Clare quartet are set to miss out on their first All-Ireland qualifier on June 30th, as the suspensions also carry an automatic one-match ban.
Both the Cork and Clare county boards were fined €5,000 for the conduct of players. Cork were also hit with an additional €2,500 for failure to comply with Munster Council instructions.
All four Clare players attended last night's meeting in Dublin. The Cork quartet had presented their evidence last week and were not present.