Led by a rejuvenated Ollie Baker, Clare swept aside a poor Offaly challenge to go joint top Cusack Park in Ennis yesterday.
The Banner's comprehensive victory now sets up a crunch tie with Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds on Thursday evening to decide who will join Galway in the knock-out stages.
Boosted by the return of Sixmilebridge players - David Fitzgerald and Niall Gilligan - Clare played great hurling at times and could have won by a bigger margin had the forwards put away some of the goal chances that came their way.
Despite the eventual ease with which they dismissed Offaly, the crowd was treated to a pulsating first half, where both sides trades scores before Clare took a slender one-point lead.
After 11 minutes, Offaly, playing with the wind, led 1-4 to 0-3. Central to every Offaly score in the opening period was brilliant half-forward, Johnny Dooley, who gave the Clare defence a torrid time.
Grabbing the only goal of the game in the 11th minute, Dooley pounced on a loose ball after the Clare defence failed to clear a Joe Errity free to shoot low and hard into the left hand corner.
Despite scoring the goal, Offaly - over-reliant on Dooley's talent - would only score two more points in the remaining 24 minutes. The Banner immediately responded to the goal by scoring the next three points through James O'Connor (2) and Alan Markam.
The Banner revival was led by midfielder, Ollie Baker, displaying the power and energy that was the hallmark of many of his great Clare performances. Clare continued to press and in the 20th minute, Stephen Byrne saved brilliantly from Niall Gilligan and Gilligan was denied again in the 29th minute when with only Byrne to beat, he blasted against the crossbar.
The pace of the game slowed in the second half where Clare took advantage of the strong wind to build up a solid lead.
Early points from Markam, O'Connor and Gilligan (3) ensured that two League points were secured and set up the derby clash with Limerick on Thursday.
CLARE: D Fitzgerald; C Forde, B Lohan, F Lohan; L Doyle, S McMahon, D Hoey; O Baker (0-1), C Lynch (0-1); A Markam (0-5), J O'Connor (0-7, 3 frees), T Carmody; B Murphy, N Gilligan (0-5 frees), D Forde (0-1). Subs: R Woods for McMahon, PJ O'Connell for Carmody, T Griffin for Murphy, G Considine (0- 1) for Baker.
OFFALY: S Byrne; H Rigney, J Brady, B Whelahan; N Claffey, J Errity, K Martin; B Whelahan (0-1), J Pilkington (0-3); J Dooley (1-5, 4 frees), G Hanniffy, R Hanniffy (0-2); B Murphy, G Oakley,J Troy. Subs: C Gath for Murphy, C Cassidy (0-2) for Oakley.
Referee: Ger Harrington (Cork).
