Qualifiers: Clare edge Westmeath and Laois beat Offaly

Clare and Laois came through their third-round ties in the All-Ireland Football Championship Qualifiers on Saturday, beating Westmeath and Offaly respectively.

Westmeath 0-15 Clare 1-13

A second-half goal from David Tubridy proved the difference as Clare reached the fourth round of the qualifiers with a narrow victory over Westmeath in Mullingar. Colm Collins' charges held on at the death, despite a late fightback from the Lake County, to reach the next round, and there will be a real belief in the Munster county that they can now reach the Super 8s.

The first-half was a tight affair, with the sides going in level at half-time, 0-8 apiece. As the teams went point-for-point, it was eventually Clare who found the breakthrough with Tubridy's 47th-minute strike giving them a four-point lead.

The O'Byrne Cup and Division 3 champions did rally, scoring two late points in injury-time to narrow the gap to just one, but Clare held out for a famous victory.

Laois 0-20 Offaly 0-15

The midlands neighbours met in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise on Saturday evening, and it was John Sugrue's charges who triumphed to reach round four of the qualifiers for the second year in succession.

John Maughan's side fancied their chances of an upset away to their provincial rivals, and were right in contention for large periods. Offaly's starting full-forward line of Bernard Allen, Niall and Ruairi McNamee kicked 0-10 between them, as they asked questions of the Laois defence.

The sides were level at the break, but the 2018 Leinster finalists had too much for the Faithful County in the second half, as Paul and Donal Kingston scored 10 points between them to guide Laois to victory.

Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues next weekend, with a doubleheader from the fourth round of the All-Ireland Football Championship Qualifiers.

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