Clare 2-21

Offaly 0-15

Clare's promotion bid has begun with an emphatic win over Offaly at Cusack Park.

After trailing by 0-4 to 0-6 at the end of the opening quarter, the Banner took complete control. Peter Duggan's 34th minute goal helped them to a 1-13 to 0-7 half-time lead, while a second goal from rising star Aaron Shanagher in the 73rd minute added gloss to the scoreline.

Offaly, who started the season with a rare win over Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup, finished the game with 13 men after Conor Doughan and Paddy Rigney both saw red. Doughan and Clare goal-scorer Duggan received straight red cards following a 50th minute altercation, while Rigney was sent off on a second yellow card eight minutes later for a high tackle on Shane O'Donnell.

With Shane Dooley and Pat Camon on the mark, Eamonn Kelly's visitors twice lead by two points in the early stages. But Davy Fitzgerald's charges eventually found their rhythm as a trio of points from Colin Ryan and another from John Conlon eased them into a 0-9 to 0-5 lead. Dooley narrowed the gap to two in the 33rd minute, but a minute later Duggan scrambled home the opening goal

Centre back David McInerney and Colin Ryan (two) tagged on points to leave clear daylight between the sides at the break.

Conlon and Ryan had further scores for the Banner as Dooley continued to plough a lone furrow for the visitors at the other end. The Tullamore dual star shot three points in-a-row to reduce the gap to seven, 0-12 to 1-16, before his 60th minute penalty was comfortably saved by Patrick Kelly in the Clare goal.

That was the cue for the hosts to up the ante again as Conor Cleary, Shane O'Donnell and David McInerney added points before Shanagher applied the coup de grace in added time.

Colin Ryan top-scored with 0-9 for a dominant Clare side who could afford the luxury of 16 wides.

Clare - P Kelly; P O'Connor, C Dillon (0-1), D McInerney (0-2); Conor Ryan, P Flanagan, C Cleary (0-1); D Reidy (0-1), C Galvin (0-1); Colin Ryan (0-9, 7f), J Conlon (0-3), P Duggan (1-0); S O'Donnell (0-1), D Honan, C McGrath. Subs: A Cunningham for D Honan, A Shanagher (1-0) for J Conlon, B Duggan (0-2, 1f) for Colin Ryan, D Fitzgerald for C McGrath, J Browne for Conor Ryan.

Offaly - J Dempsey; N Wynne, C McDonald, P Rigney; P Camon (0-3), C Doughan (0-1f), S Gardiner; P Guinan, S Kinsella (0-1); P Murphy (0-2), S Dooley (0-8, 6f, 1'65), J Bergin; J Mulrooney, C Egan, J Sampson. Subs: J O'Connor for P Guinan, S Quirke for J Sampson, S Cleary for J Mulrooney, B Murphy for J Bergin.

Referee - S Cleere.

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