Classy Clare roared to a superb 2-17 to 1-13 Round 3A Qualifier victory over Sligo at Markievicz Park this afternoon.

David Tubridy (penalty) and Gary Brennan supplied the goals in either half as Colm Collins's men moved within one win of an All-Ireland quarter-final berth.

The Banner County will face either Tipperary or the losers of tomorrow's Connacht final replay between Galway and Roscommon next Saturday for a place in the All-Ireland series.

The defining period in this game came between the 40^th and 60^th minutes when the rampant winners - powered on by outstanding centrefield duo Brennan and Cathal O'Connor (0-4)  outscored their hosts by 1-10 to a single point to turn a 1-4 to 0-10 deficit into a nine-point, advantage, 2-14 to 0-11.

With 3,296 in attendance, the hosts led by two points at the break - 0-9 to 1-4 - but would have to play against the breeze when the action resumed. Brian Egan's wind-assisted free had made it 0-7 to 0-3 but Tubridy's penalty goal low to the 'keeper's left in the 25^th minute after he was fouled himself brought the Banner right back into contention.

Tubridy also converted a free, in between two from Adrian Marren, to bring an end to an evenly-contested opening period that saw visiting dual star Podge Collins leave the fray due to a black card six minutes from the break.

The Yeats County bagged four of the first five points via Niall Murphy (2), Kyle Cawley and Marren. Eoin Cleary's second point for Clare had them back within two at the midway stage in the first half but Marren (free) and Mark Breheny pointed either side of a Cleary free to maintain the home side's encouraging start.

Breheny and Tubridy traded frees upon the restart and further scores from teenage substitute Keelan Sexton and Cawley had Clare level before Tubridy notched their fourth successive point to edge them in front for the first time on 46 minutes.

Cathal O'Connor doubled the gap and when Adrian McIntyre replied for the losers the Banner powered on with points from O'Connor, Sexton and Cleary (2) followed by a thumping finish to the bottom corner of the net from midfielder Brennan to extend the lead to an unassailable eight points with twelve minutes left, 2-13 to 0-11.

Pearse Lillis and O'Connor added further Banner scores either side of a consolation goal from substitute Pat Hughes and Keelan Sexton and Shane McGrath increased the visitors' tally before the losers conjured their last two scores of the year.

Clare - J Hayes; K Harnett, S Hickey, M McMahon; J Malone, G Kelly, D Ryan; G Brennan (1-0), C O'Connor (0-4); C O'Dea, P Collins, S Collins; E Cleary (0-5, 2f), D Tubridy (1-3, 1-0pen, 0-2f), P Lillis (0-1). Subs: K Sexton (0-3) for P Collins (BC), S McGrath (0-1) for D Tubridy, E Coughlan for P Lillis, P Burke for J Malone, S Malone for E Cleary, D Nagle for S Collins.

Sligo - A Devaney; E Flanagan, K McDonnell, D Maye; Brendan Egan, G O'Kelly Lynch, Keelan Cawley; J Hynes, A McIntyre (0-1); N Ewing, M Breheny (0-3, 2f), N Murphy (0-3, 1f); Kyle Cawley (0-1), Brian Egan (0-1), A Marren (0-3, 2f). Subs: P Hughes (1-0) for J Hynes, C Henry (0-1) for A Marren (BC), N Gaughan for Brian Egan.

Referee - A Nolan.

Tweet

Most Read Stories