Derry 0-11 Clare 1-8
A last-gasp point from James Kielt, five minutes into injury time, gave Derry a share of the spoils in a dramatic game at Celtic Park.
Ciarán Russell’s second point, in Clare’s last attack, appeared to have snatched victory for Colm Collins’ side.
But with just seconds left the home side worked the ball out wide to Kielt who converted a difficult effort from 40 yards to save Derry’s skin.
Derry enjoyed a slight advantage when they ran in 0-6 to 0-5 up at half-time despite Clare chiselling out two or three decent goal chances that could have settled matters early on.
When Jamie Malone did finally beat Thomas Mallon with a simple palm home in the 44th minute it handed Clare a two-point lead.
But after that the contest swayed one way and then the next with Clare, in particular, guilty of umpteen wides. Keenan Niall Keenan, in his National League debut, was the pick of the Derry players, while Eoin Cleary top scored for the visitors.
As both sides wrestled for the victory, it would be Damian Barton’s side that would manage to have the final say, with Kielt’s point just about earning his side a share of the spoils.
DERRY: T Mallon, N Keenan, C Nevin, R Murphy, N Forester, M McEvoy, M Craig, C McAtamney, J Kielt (0-4, one free), E Lynn (0-2), N Loughlin (0-2, one free), C McWilliams (0-2, one free), M Lynch (0-1, free), E McGuckin, B Heron. Subs: D Tallon for B Heron (26), G O'Neill for C McAtamney (55), J Doherty for P Hagan (59), O Hegarty for C Nevin (60).
CLARE: J Hayes, M McMahon, C O'Dea, J Hayes, L Markham (0-1), G Kelly, D Ryan, G Brennan, C Russell (0-2), J Malone (1-0), S Collins (0-1), S Brennan, E Cleary (0-3, frees), D Tubridy (0-1), K Sexton. Subs: D Nagle for C O'Dea (49), E Collins for D Nagle (BC 55), S Malone for K Sexton (59), S McGrath for S Collins (59), G O'Brien for M McMahon (BC 60), D Egan for S Brennan (70).
Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh)
