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.

Rory Gallagher isn’t shying away from it. Five games into a division they were favourites to be relegated from, unbeaten Fermanagh took another big step towards a fairytale promotion at Brewster Park yesterday and their manager isn’t blinking at the bright lights ahead.

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.

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.

Tyrone chairperson Roisin Jordan has insisted the county executive is fully behind Mickey Harte and his team, and fully supportive of their efforts to win a first All-Ireland title since 2008.

Allianz FL Division 2

Alan and Donncha O’Connor have committed to the Cork football squad for 2017, selector Eoin O’Neill has confirmed.

Clare made a little bit of history in Salthill this afternoon.

Clare 2-17 Kildare 1-19: The joy was evident and there were plenty celebrations but perhaps the most notable aspect of this historic victory for Clare was the absence of delirium.

Clare produced a rousing finish to beat Kildare in a high-scoring Allianz Football League Division 3 final at Croke Park.

Kildare 0-22 Clare 1-14: Despite losing out to Kildare in a high-octane shootout, Clare will still join their conquerors in Division 2 next year.

Clare 1-20 Longford 1-9: Clare’s promotion aspirations are still on track after a merited 11-point win over visitors Longford at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

Limerick 0-11 Clare 1-14: When the sides met in last year’s National Football League, Limerick pulled themselves out of a four-game losing streak to kickstart an unlikely Division Three survival with a double-scores victory. Sadly for them, history did not repeat itself yesterday as they were brushed aside far more comprehensively by Clare than the final margin of six points suggests.

Clare 1-10 Tipperary 1-9: A late goal by local star Kieran Malone earned Clare victory over Tipperary in the opening round of the McGrath Cup yesterday.

Clare 1-14 Fermanagh 2-09: Clare maintained their Division 3 status by virtue of a two-point win over Fermanagh at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

Kerry 1-17 Clare 1-13

MUNSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL REPLAY:

Clare 2-13 Wicklow 1-8

St Joseph’s (Clare) 3-11 Seán Finns, Rathkeale (Limerick) 0-07

Paul Grimley was last night named the new Armagh manager, having served as his predecessor Paddy O’Rourke’s selector this season.

Cork 3-16 Clare 0-13

It’s 20 years since Clare claimed only the second Munster senior football title in the county’s history and in theinterim, provincial final appearances have been rationed to the Banner County.

UCC 0-19 Limerick 2-9

UCC 2-17 UL 0-14

The final round of the top tier of the National Hurling League gets underway today, but barring some huge upsets, Kilkenny and Clare are set to advance to the decider next month.

Cork attackers Joe Deane, Niall McCarthy and Neil Ronan - who all missed out on last weekend's National Hurling League defeat to in-form Clare - return to the starting line-up for Sunday's clash with Galway at Páirc Ui Chaoimh.

JOE DEANE, Niall McCarthy and Neil Ronan, all missing for Cork’s defeat by Clare last weekend because of hamstring problems, return to the side for Sunday’s Allianz National Hurling League clash with Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.