Nugent pounces to draw Clare level

NHL Division One A/ Offaly 1-16 Clare 1-16:Offaly and Clare shared the points in an exciting encounter at St Brendan's Park, Birr, yesterday.

Both sides will feel they should have won but the home side will probably be the more disappointed. They led for most of the last 25 minutes but Clare equalised twice late on.

Clare led by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break. They also shot nine wides in that half and added another seven in the second half. Offaly fought back well in the second half, producing their best hurling of the campaign but they also registered a total of 13 wides.

Offaly started well and after 14 minutes had opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead. They were still three points up after 22 minutes when Bernard Gaffney made a great catch from Philip Brennan's puck-out and raced through to fire a shot low to the Offaly net.Fergal Lynch and Tony Carmody added points to put Clare in the lead for the first time with Derek Molloy replying for Offaly.

However, in the closing five minutes of the first half Clare outscored Offaly by 0-4 to 0-1 to go in leading by 1-8 to 0-7.

Offaly, now with wind advantage, restarted and points from Barry Teehan, Paul Cleary and Joe Bergin cut the gap to the minimum after six minutes. Gaffney's free put Clare two ahead again but after 12 minutes Molloy fired a shot to the net to put Offaly back in front.

Clare levelled but Joe Bergin and Rory Hanniffy put Offaly two points in front with 20 minutes left. Over the next 15 minutes Clare cut the gap to a single point three times but each time Offaly responded. It was 1-15 to 1-13 for a seven-minute spell during which time both sides missed chances before Fergal Lynch cut the gap to the minimum once more. With the game just in injury-time Gaffney levelled from a free.

Hanniffy sent Offaly back in front with a point two minutes into added-time. One minute remained and Clare fought back as Barry Nugent's point levelled matters for the fifth time.

OFFALY: S O'Connor; D Franks, P Cleary (0-2, both frees), M Verney; G Oakley, C Horan, K Brady; B Teehan (0-1), B Murphy (0-1); G Hanniffy, R Hanniffy (0-3), D Molloy (1-1); B Carroll (0-3), J Bergin (0-5, 0-4 frees), A Egan. Sub: C Parlon for Egan (60 mins).

CLARE: P Brennan; G O'Grady, B O'Connell, F Lohan; C Forde, C Plunkett, A Markham; B Bugler, K Dilleen; N Gilligan (0-2), T Carmody (0-1), J Clancy; B Nugent (0-1), F Lynch (0-4), B Gaffney (1-8, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65). Subs: D O'Rourke for Dilleen (19 mins), D O'Connell for O'Rourke (39 mins), T Kearse for Carmody (24 mins), J McInerney for Bugler (67 mins).

Referee: P O'Connor(Limerick).