Offaly escape to victory

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS ROUND ONE Offaly 2-18 Clare 1-18 aet:CLARE SPURNED a great opportunity for a famous victory when they let Offaly off the hook in Tullamore on Saturday .

Offaly eventually survived after proving the better team in extra-time, but for three-quarters of the game Clare were the better side.

They should have won the game in normal time, but a late Offaly rally forced extra-time.

Offaly were absolutely shocking in the first half as Clare controlled proceedings. With man of the match David Tubridy punishing Offaly from play and frees, they fully deserved their 0-6 to 0-1 interval lead.

In the second half, Offaly finally sprung to life, but Clare still should have been able to advance to the next round. They led by 0-8 to 0-2 four minutes into the second half and were 0-9 to 0-4 to the good after 41 minutes.

A Niall McNamee point and a ninth-minute David Egan goal cut the deficit to a point, but Clare’s response was hugely impressive.

Alan Clohessy fired over a point and a goal from sub, Kevin Cahill, put them in the driving seat.

With 15 minutes left, Clare led 1-12 to 1-5 and should have been able to close out the deal. Instead, Offaly got back into it with four unanswered points. Graham Kelly’s point settled Clare, but a Ken Casey goal and an equalising point from substitute Graham Guilfoyle forced extra-time.

In extra-time, Niall McNamee finally found top gear and Offaly played their best football as they strode into a 2-17 to 1-17 lead.

Clare battled back into it in the second period, but never looked like getting the goal they needed.

OFFALY: A Mulhall; B Darby, S Brady, P Sullivan; N Darby, R Brady, K Slattery (0-1); B Geraghty (0-1), R Dalton; J Reynolds (0-1), B Connor, C McManus (0-3, one free, one 45); A Sullivan (0-1), K Casey (1-4, four frees), N McNamee (0-5). Subs: G Guilfoyle (0-1) for Dalton (ht), S Pender for P Sullivan (ht), D Egan (1-1) for N Darby, P McConway (for Geraghty (53 mins), S Lonergan (for Slattery (85 mins), A McNamee for Egan (89 mins ), N Dunne for A Sullivan (90 mins).

CLARE: J Hayes; M Tubridy, B Duggan, B Carrig; M McMahon, Gordon Kelly, D Callinan; G Quinlan, G Brennan (0-1); D Mollahan (0-1), P O'Dwyer, A Clohessy (0-1); D Tubridy (0-12, seven frees), D Russell , D Daly . Subs: K Cahill (1-1) for D Mollahan (29 mins), G Kelly (0-1) for Daly (59 mins ), L Healy for B Carrig (48 mins), B Clancy for Callinan (70 mins), B Toner (0-1) for Clohessy (70m), C Dunning for Clancy (78 mins), S McNeillis for Duggan (80 mins).

Referee: M Higgins(Fermanagh).