It wasn't quite as dramatic tonight as when these counties met in the mid-late '90s, with Clare defeating Offaly by twenty points (3-26 to 0-15) in Ennis.

Conor McGrath's goal helped the winners assume a seven-point half-time lead, 1-13 to 0-9, and the winners also had second-half majors from John Conlon and Shane O'Donnell.

The Banner led by 1-5 to 0-3 after ten minutes, with McGrath bulging the net after five. Shane Kinsella kept the Faithfuls in touch.

Brian Whelehan's charges had a lucky escape when the predatory O'Donnell struck their crossbar but the hosts still led by eight with ten minutes remaining before the interval, 1-10 to 0-5.

Within twelve minutes of the restart, Davy Fitz' men had increased their seven-point interval lead to a whopping 17 - 3-20 to 0-13. Conlon and O'Donnell nailed the goals that put this match well and truly out of Offaly's reach.

The match was effectively over as any sort of contest and both teams went through the motions in the remainder of the second half as Clare progressed to the next round of the back-door series and Offaly's difficult season ended, but not before Kinsella had helped himself to his fourth point.

Clare - P Kelly; C Dillon, D McInerney, S Morey; B Bugler, Conor Ryan (0-3), J Browne; P O'Connor (0-1), T Kelly (0-8, 2f); J Conlon (1-2), Colin Ryan (0-3, 2f), S Golden (0-2); C McGrath (1-4), S O'Donnell (1-0), D Honan (0-3). Subs: D Reidy for J Conlon, A Cunningham for S O'Donnell, P Flanagan for C Dillon, D O'Donovan for J Browne, C Galvin for D Honan.

Offaly - J Dempsey; D Shortt, N Wynne, D King; E Murphy, C Egan, G Conneely; E Nolan, J Mulrooney (0-1); P Murphy (0-1), D Currams, J Bergin (0-1); B Carroll, S Kinsella (0-4), S Dooley (0-6f). Subs: S Cleary (0-2) for E Nolan, S Ryan for G Conneely, P Camon for D Shortt, S Wynne for D Currams, D Mooney for E Murphy, C Kiely for C Egan.

Referee - J Keenan.

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