Kildare 0-13
Clare 0-12

Kildare have qualified for the last 12 of the All-Ireland SFC after surviving a huge scare from Clare in Ennis.

The hot favourites scored the last seven points to escape from Cusack Park with their championship ambitions still intact after Clare - who had plied their trade third divisions below the visitors in this year's Allianz League - had led by double-scores, 0-12 to 0-6, 10 minutes into the second half.

But they failed to score in the remaining 27 minutes as Jason Ryan's men fought back to set up a meeting with one of the beaten Leinster or Ulster finalists and leave Clare and their supporters heartbroken.

Enda Coughlan and Alan Smith - who was one of two late changes to the Kildare team - exchanged early points before dual star Podge Collins edged the Banner back in front. Padraig O'Neill levelled again in the eighth minute, but the underdogs got the next two points from Rory Donnelly and corner back Martin McMahon to lead by 0-4 to 0-2 after 22 minutes.

David Tubridy and Smith traded scores before Joe Hayes came to Clare's rescue with a great save to deny Tommy Moolick. Two Shane McGrath efforts either side of a Keith Cribben effort gave the Banner a 0-7 to 0-4 half-time lead. Indeed, they were afforded a standing ovation as they left the field.

Smith narrowed the gap on the restart before Clare captain Gary Brennan opted to fist over when a goal was on. Smith continued to keep the visitors in it, but they had another let-off when Mark Donnellan saved from McGrath at the expense of a '45' which Tubridy nailed.

Clare's tails were up now as Brennan and Turbidy (two frees) added points to put them six clear after 45 minutes. But just when the biggest upset of the championship looked to be on the cards, Kildare staged a stirring comeback which culminated in impressive substitute Eoghan O'Flaherty scoring the winning point.

A pair of O'Flaherty points and further efforts from Smith, Eamonn Callaghan and Paddy Brophy had reduced the deficit to the minimum before the influential Callaghan levelled with less than 10 minutes to go.

O'Flaherty then put the Leinster side in front with their seventh straight point. Amid unbearable tension, Clare came in search of the equaliser, but they came up just short, with Tubridy firing agonisingly wide in the third minute of stoppage-time.

Kildare - M Donnellan; C Fitzpatrick, O Lyons; E Bolton; M O'Grady, F Conway, K Cribbin; T Moolick, G White; C McNally, N Kelly, P O'Neill (0-1); E Callaghan (0-2), P Fogarty, A Smith (0-6, 1f). Subs: T O'Connor for P Fogarty, E O'Flaherty (0-3) for G White, P Brophy (0-1) for N Kelly, E Doyle for M O'Grady, S Hurley for T Moolick, M Conway for F Conway.

Clare - J Hayes; S Hickey, K Harnett, M McMahon (0-1); J Malone, G Kelly, C Russell; G Brennan (0-2), S McGrath (0-2); S Collins, E Coughlan (0-1), S Brennan; P Collins (0-1), D Tubridy (0-4, 3f, 1'45), R Donnelly (0-1). Subs: D Ryan for S Collins, E Cleary for R Donnelly, M O'Leary for E Coughlan, S McNelis for S Hickey, P McMahon for S Brennan, L Healy for C Russell.

Referee - J McQuillan. Tweet

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