It was a day out in Thurles that hinted at something novel before crashing to a close with the familiar noise of easy-going Kilkenny celebration.

The hurling folk of Clare and Kilkenny descended early on the original GAA town to enjoy a magical curtain-raiser between the pedigree schools of both counties but milled around the town square later on in agreement that in hurling, change is rare.

Early in the day, in sunshine, St Flannan's of Ennis edged out the 2005 vintage from the legendary St Kieran's nursery in an edgy, thrilling final and the win brought a mood of high carnival to the ground as the senior teams took the field. But with that contest came the forbidding evidence that Kilkenny in business mode are a ferocious and unforgiving entity.

After deceiving Clare, all 22,500 paying customers, and freeloaders alike into believing a taut first half would build to a gripping finale, they simply cut loose. A slow-burning conservative opening half left little to suggest Kilkenny were about to go to town but the game was long over when Peter Barry raised the trophy as heavy rainfall engulfed Thurles.

His team won by 3-20 to 0-15, Clare held to just five scores in the second half as Kilkenny romped to their 12th league title with their patented brand of sinew and ephemeral stick work.

"Against Kilkenny, you can't afford to tune out for any period of time," mused Clare coach Anthony Daly. "You have to keep battling, battling, battling."

And the frightening thing is that no team battles like Clare.

It was a tough close of league business for Clare, who hurled with conviction and some style over the past month only to be handed a trimming that is eerily reminiscent of the black day they suffered against Waterford in the championship almost one year ago. But Daly was careful to place Clare's pretty string of league victories in context and was entitled to remind the public that what happened here was not the end of the world.

"The league has been good to us," he said bravely. "And we will be back out on June 5th with all guns blazing."

It is doubtful he will spend too many nights sipping rye and fretting over this hour of hurling. Feisty and game for action over the first half-hour, Clare unravelled after the restart. They are such a tightly-wrought unit that the loss of Frank Lohan through a booking just after the break was ominous.

His departure coincided with the movement of Tony Griffin to try to work some joy out of the Kilkenny full-back line but the medical student found life in there colder than in his work place way out in Nova Scotia.

No ball came in as JJ Delaney, Peter Barry and Richie Mullally gobbled up everything and rained down ball upon ball for their forwards to have fun with. But for the fact Davy Fitzgerald was at times omnipotent in goal - his reflex stop on Eoin Larkin's 30th-minute cannon ball was worth the admission price alone - Clare could have suffered a terrible afternoon.

Fitzgerald threw his body on a Henry Shefflin flick on 37 minutes but as Clare's clearances grew more frayed and desperate, it was clear the Banner was ailing. The lively and sharp Eoin Larkin cut through for the goal that broke the game open at 2-10 to 0-11 and then a beautiful Tommy Walsh point, darting through Clare shirts and shooting on the run, signalled a procession of black and amber scores.

Kilkenny coach Brian Cody stood impassive on the sideline. He had rotated his forwards with the patience of a safe burglar seeking the right combination and when it clicked, the riches shone in front of him.

Enjoying a tough old encounter with Brian Lohan, DJ Carey found space to work some wonderful touches and his simple, genius, first-time pass to Shefflin fooled the stadium and gave the Ballyhale man position that left even Fitzgerald with no answer.

Shefflin's finish had the icy lack of mercy that all born scorers possess and as he raised a fist in celebration, it was hard to remember the move had begun with a long canter downfield by corner back Jackie Tyrell. That left it at 3-18 to 0-12 with a full 10 minutes to play.

"It was very much a team thing. As a team we improved," murmured Cody afterwards when asked to shine a spotlight on the names poised to carve out another black and amber summer. And as the season moves to championship, their quest for perfection will inevitably be reflected in deeper shades of amber.