Clare demolish Offaly to advance in All-Ireland hurling qualifiers

Goals from Conor McGrath, John Conlon and Shane O'Donnell helped Clare canter to a 3-26 to 0-15 victory over Offaly in Round 1 of the hurling qualifiers at Cusack Park.

The Faithful County were no match for their hosts as Clare ran riot from start to finish and recovered well from the Munster championship exit to Limerick last month.

Following his return to the Clare squad Colm Galvin made a substitute appearance with seven minutes to go, but by then Clare had emptied the bench and cruised to victory.

Manager Davy Fitzgerald may have been a little nervous beforehand after his side's relegation from the league's top flight earlier this season, but as soon as the lively McGrath goaled in the seventh minute it was clear what pattern was going to develop in Ennis.

At that stage Clare held a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after a bright start, but three points in a row from Offaly – two Shane Dooley frees and Shane Kinsella's point – finally brought Offaly into the game.

But Clare roared into the second quarter with real purpose. Shane Golden and Tony Kelly hit good points on the run to open out a six-point lead, before the home side hit another three on the bounce, including two good scores from McGrath to take total control.

Joe Bergin and Kinsella replied well for Offaly, but Clare finished the half strongly as a Pat O'Connor point gave them a deserved 1-12 to 0-9 half-time lead.

Brian Whelehan introduced Sean Cleary at the interval and he made an immediate impact with a great score after 20 seconds, but any hopes of an Offaly comeback were dashed in the 37th minute when Conlon raced on to a long puckout and goaled past James Dempsey.

That score caused the floodgates to open as Clare went on to hit another goal and 13 points before referee James Keenan called a halt to the action. Centre-back Conor Ryan got in on the action with two points in as many minutes – he hit a third later on – and Kelly showed his brilliance in the 41st minute with a wonderful point form play.

But the home side delivered the final nail in Offaly's coffin in the 44th minute, with Kelly at the heart of the move once more.

He carried well down the right wing, flicked the ball over the head of the approaching Offaly defender before laying the ball into O'Donnell's path. His first-time control let him down, but he recovered well and rattled a sweet ground stroke past the helpless James Dempsey.

Kelly went on to hit a total of eight points in a wonderful display which clinched Clare's first championship win since 2013.

For Offaly the pressure will now begin to grow on manager Whelehan following their poor provincial form and this 20-point defeat.

But Clare will just be happy to have secured their play in Monday morning's Round 2 draw.

Clare: P Kelly; D McInerney, C Dillon, S Morey; B Bugler, Conor Ryan (0-3), J Browne; P O’Connor (0-1), T Kelly (0-8, 2f); J Conlon (1-2), Colin Ryan (0-3, 2f), S Golden (0-2); C McGrath (1-4), S O’Donnell (1-0), D Honan (0-3).

Subs: D Reidy for Conlon (53), A Cunningham for O'Donnell (53), P Flanagan for Dillon (59), D O'Donovan for Browne (60), C Galvin for Honan (63).

Offaly: J Dempsey; D Shortt, N Wynne, D King; E Murphy, C Egan, G Conneely; E Nolan, J Mulrooney (0-1); P Murphy (0-1), D Currams, J Bergin (0-1); B Carroll, S Kinsella (0-4), S Dooley (0-6, 6f).

Subs: S Cleary (0-2) for Nolan (35), S Ryan for Conneely (41), P Camon for Shortt (51), S Wynne for Currams (58), D Mooney for E Murphy (62), C Kiely for Egan (68).

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)