Clare 0-27
Laois 3-17

Clare held out against Laois this afternoon to move into Round 2 of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifiers.

Tony Kelly’s 0-13 tally proved crucial for the Banner men over the 70 minutes at Nowlan Park, where the O’Moore men produced a late rally but fell one point short in the end.

Brian Lohan’s side had led by seven at the halfway stage and were six points up after the second water break but were far from comfortable at the finish again their Leinster opponents.

Aaron Dunphy’s 68th minute goal and points from Mark Kavanagh and Paddy Purcell saw Laois keep the heat on until the finish as Clare managed to hold on with a date against either Tipperary, Wexford and Cork, Dublin next weekend.

Ross King’s goal handed Eddie Brennan’s charges the perfect start in this backdoor tie after seven minutes but they’d lose the full-forward to injury come the 23rd minute.

Clare were humming by that stage as they led 0-9 to 0-2, with Kelly to the fore for them as he struck 0-10 in the opening half to guide his team towards a seven-point lead at the break.

Laois manager Eddie Brennan and Clare manager Brian Lohan afterwards. ©INPHO/Ken Sutton.

However, the Banner men lost midfielder David McInerney to a red card just before the interval and while they looked comfortable enough after the restart with points from Kelly and Aaron Shanagher to build up a 0-23 to 2-11 by the second water break, Laois were about to stage a late rally.

A goal from James Keyes in the 43rd minute gave the O’Moore men a fighting chance and they’d battle to the end as Dunphy snuck in for goal number three with two minutes to go, leaving four in it.

Padraig Delaney, Purcell and Kavanagh struck three unanswered points for the trailers but they couldn’t force extra time as Clare surely breathed a sigh of relief at Thomas Walsh’s final whistle.

Clare - E Quilligan; R Hayes (0-1), C Cleary, P Flanagan; S O'Halloran, A McCarthy (0-1f), S Morey (0-2); D McInerney (0-2), D Reidy; C Malone (0-2), T Kelly (0-13, 9f), C Guilfoyle (0-1); A Shanagher (0-3), S O'Donnell, R Taylor (0-2). Subs: S Golden for D Reidy, D Ryan for C Guilfoyle, G Cooney for R Taylor, A Cunningham for A Shanagher.

Laois - E Rowland; L Cleere, D Hartnett, S Downey; J Kelly (0-1), R Mullaney, P Delaney (0-1); E Killeen, F C Fennell; J Keyes (1-1), A Dunphy (1-1), M Kavanagh (0-6, 3f, 1sl); C Stapleton; R King (1-2, 0-2f), W Dunphy (0-2). Subs: P Purcell (0-2) for R King, S Maher for J Kelly, C McEvoy (0-1) for E Killeen, C Phelan for S Downey, M Hennessy for S Maher.

Referee - T Walsh.

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