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Allianz Football League Division 2 – Clare 1-13 Offaly 0-7

Name: Allianz Football League Division 2 – Clare 1-13 Offaly 0-7
Start: 2022-01-30T14:00:00+00:00
End: 2022-01-30T16:00:00+00:00
Location: Cusack Park Ennis

January 30, 2022 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Clare defeated Offaly by 1-13 to 0-7 in Round 1 of the Allianz Football League Division 2 on Sunday January 30th at Cusack Park Ennis.

Darragh Bohannon goal helps Clare start campaign off with win over Offaly https://t.co/LJunWQHHQ6

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 30, 2022

Darragh Bohannon goal helps Clare start campaign off with win over Offaly

Report by Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Clare 1-13 Offaly 0-7

Victory to Clare in this NFL Division 2 opener at Cusack Park, the Banner having too much for visitors Offaly.

That said, Offaly were far better than the home side in the opening stages: backed by the breeze, they had a trump card early on in corner-forward Bernard Allen. The lively Tubber clubman hit three points from play in the opening quarter, and Dylan Hylan soloed through on 20 minutes his point put Offaly 0-5 to 0-1 ahead.

Clare improved: they resolved early issues with their kick-out and were more positive in the closing ten minutes of the half, turning Offaly over in the middle of the field. Keelan Sexton pointed a free either side of the first half’s only goal chance, when Clare wing-back Alan Sweeney’s shot was swept off the Offaly goal-line.

Improbably, given their poor start, Clare were just one adrift at the break thanks to Eoin Cleary’s late free, 0-5 to 0-4.

Clare restarted with a quick goal thanks to Darragh Bohannon’s low drive, and when Cleary added a free it was 1-5 to 0-5. Both sides struggled to connect with the final pass but Lee Pearson and Cleary swapped good points before the 45th minute.

Clare took control then, however: David Tubridy, Lillis and Sexton (free) pushed the home side six clear entering the final quarter, with Offaly having trouble making the ball stick up front.

The visitors had their second score of the second half with a pointed free from ‘keeper Paddy Dunican – in the 68th minute – but they needed a goal to set up a grandstand finish, and Clare were in an unaccommodating mood, ending the game nine points to the good.

Scorers for Clare: K. Sexton (0-4, 3 frees); D. Bohannon (1-0); E. Cleary (0-3, 2 frees); P. Lillis, J. Malone (0-2 each); C. Downes, D. Tubridy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Offaly: B. Allen (0-3); R. McNamee, D. Hyland, L. Pearson, P. Dunican (free)(0-1 each).

CLARE: S. Ryan; M. Doherty, C. Brennan, C. Rouine; C. O’Dea, C. Russell, A. Sweeney; C. O’Connor, D. O’Neill; D. Bohannon, E. Cleary (c), P. Lillis, A. Griffin, K. Sexton, D. Tubridy.
Subs: P. Collins and E. Collins for Tubridy and Rouine (50); J. Malone for Griffin (52); D. Walsh for Russell (64); C. Downes for O’Neill (70)

OFFALY: P. Dunican; L. Pearson, J. Lalor, N. Darby; C. Donnelly, J. Moloney (c), C. Donohue; J. Hayes, C. Mangan; B. Carroll, A. Sullivan, D. Hyland; B. Allen, N. McNamee, R. McNamee.
Subs: C. Egan for Carroll (34); D. Dempsey for Sullivan and D. Hogan for N. McNamee (both HT); J. Bryan for Hyland (47); C. Doyle for Pearson (63); R. Egan for Mangan (inj, 72).

Referee: B. Griffin (Kerry).

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