James Kielt's point in the sixth minute of injury time earned Derry a 0-11 to 1-8 draw with Clare at Celtic Park.

The sides were level on no fewer than seven occasions in a keenly-contested second-flight opener, which the Banner boys seemed to have won when Ciaran Russell fired over their eighth point in the 75^th minute.

Last year's Division Three winners continued the form that saw them through to an All-Ireland quarter-final in the summer and they were on course for victory when Jamie Malone palmed the ball to the back of the Derry net on 43 minutes for the first score of the second half - 1-5 to 0-6.

But points from Niall Loughlin and Mark Lynch had the sides level again and it was nip and tuck all the way to the end as the last six points were shared.

Derry - T Mallon; N Keenan, C Nevin, R Murphy; N Forrester, M McEvoy, P Hagan; C McAtamney, J Kielt (0-4, 1f); E Lynn (0-2), N Loughlin (0-2, 1'45), C McWilliams (0-2); M Lynch (0-1f), E McGuckin, B Heron. Subs: D Tallon for B Heron, G O'Neill for C McAtamney, J Doherty for P Hagan, O Hegarty for C Nevin.

Clare - Joe Hayes; M McMahon, John Hayes, D Ryan; L Markham (0-1), G Kelly, C O'Dea; G Brennan, C Russell (0-2); J Malone (1-0), S Collins (0-1), S Brennan; E Cleary (0-3f), D Tubridy (0-1), K Sexton. Subs: D Nagle for C O'Dea, E Collins for D Nagle (BC), S Malone for K Sexton, S McGrath for S Collins, G O'Brien for M McMahon (BC), D Egan for G Brennan, D Ryan (BC).

Referee - N Cullen.

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