Clare hold out for survival

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.

The home side were in the driving seat for most of the game and, with six minutes remaining, they led by nine points.

But a late rally by the men from the Erne county yielded a goal from the penalty spot by Sean Quigley plus four points, to make Clare manager Colm Collins sweat it out to the final whistle.

The Banner led 0-8 to 1-3 at the break and probably should have been further ahead but for some poor finishing up front.

Fermanagh grabbed their goal in the 15th minute when Quigley fisted a Conall Jones delivery to the net.

Clare’s win was ground out in the early part of the second half as they scored a goal and four to no reply inside 10 minutes.

Corner-forward Pat Burke hit the Fermanagh net in the 40th minute.

Despite that, it looked a foregone conclusion that Fermanagh were about to lose their first game of the league campaign until the late flourish.

But luckily for Clare, their opponents just came up short, on a day when Louth and Wexford were relegated.

Scorers for Clare: P Burke (1-3); G Brennan (0-5 4f) S McGrath (0-4) J Malone (0-1), P Collins (0-1).

Fermanagh: S Quigley (2-2, 1-0 pen 0-1f); D McQuade (0-2); D Kille (0-2); A Breen (0-1); C Jones (0-1); B Mulrone (0-1).

CLARE: J Hayes, C Russell, K Harnett, M McMahon, S Hickey, G Kelly, D Ryan, G Brennan (Capt.) C O’Connor, S Collins, J Malone, S McGrath, S Brennan, P Collins, P Burke.

Subs: K Sexton for McMahon (49) B/C, E Coughlan for McGrath (65).

FERMANAGH: C Snow, M Jones, T Daly, N Cassidy, A Breen, R McCluskey, J McMahon, E Donnelly (Capt.), C Cullen, P McCusker, C Jones, B Mulrone, E McManus, S Quigley, C Flaherty.

Subs: E McHugh for Joenes (half-time), D Kelly for McMahon (half-time), D Kille for McManus ((49), D McQuade for Jones (52), R Lyons for Flaherty (61).

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).