Big enough to expect a win, small enough to fear a defeat — that’s the position Clare are in travelling to Carrick-on-Shannon this evening.

Clare secured safe passage to a fifth Munster semi-final meeting with Kerry in six years, but what they produced in this desperately poor provincial quarter-final fixture won’t be anywhere near sufficient to even remotely trouble Kerry.

A 70th minute Keelan Sexton goal preserved Clare’s Division 2 status and, in the process, condemned both Cork and Tipperary to Division 3 football next spring.

Colm Collins blamed a frozen pitch in Páirc Esler for the horrific ankle injury sustained by Dermot Coughlan, while Kieran McGeeney was unhappy three key decisions went against Armagh in an action-packed Division Two draw in Newry.

As much as Clare have progressed and consolidated under the masterful watch of Colm Collins, they’ve developed a regrettable tendency to foil glorious chances to nail a big trophy head upon the wall.

Clare 1-19 Offaly 2-14

Clare needed every one of their 20 scores to edge out a valiant Offaly side that refused to give in.

Limerick 0-12 Clare 3-13: A early goal in either half propelled the minor footballers of Clare into their first Munster MFC final since 1994.

Clare 5-11 Waterford 0-6

Despite Skibbereen CS’s win, they exit the competition as St Flannan’s College triumphed against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in the other Group D game.

Corn Uí Mhuirí (Munster PPS U18½ AFC) semi-finals

St Flannan’s College, Ennis 1-9 Pobalscoil Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore 1-8: St Flannan’s stunned a fancied Pobalscoil Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore at Rathkeale yesterday in an absorbing Corn Uí Mhuiri quarter-final.