Clare had to dig deep for their opening All-Ireland SHC Group A qualifier win as a late Niall Gilligan goal finally saw off Antrim at Casement Park.
Goals from Neil McManus and Michael Herron, plus a healthy return of points, meant the Ulster champions kept in touch until Gilligan's 67th minute strike.
Daithi O'Connell met a 19th minute lineball from his brother Brian to flick home Clare's first goal and the Banner men led 1-13 to 1-07 at half-time.
Substitute Derek Quinn and Herron then swapped goals and while Karl McKeegan, Paddy McGill and Herron landed successive points for the Saffrons, a late rally saw Clare home.
Without the suspended quartet of Colin Lynch, Andrew Quinn, Alan Markham and Barry Nugent and having collected some recent injuries, Clare did not announce their team until shortly before the throw-in.
Manager Tony Considine brought Conor Plunkett of Clarecastle, Newmartket's James McInerney, Crusheen's Paddy Vaughan and Wolfe Tones duo Declan O'Rourke and Daithi O'Connell into the starting XV and also made a raft of positional switches to the side that lost to Cork in last month's Munster semi-final.
Brian O'Connell was moved from full-back to midfield to partner McInerney, team captain Frank Lohan slotted in at full-back alongside Kevin Dilleen, while the Banner's half-back line consisted of Plunkett, Gerry Quinn and the fit-again Brendan Bugler.
Diarmuid McMahon, who was named at centre-back against Cork, led the Clare attack this time around, with Niall Gilligan pushed in to full-forward where he was flanked by Daithi O'Connell and Jonathan Clancy.
Hoping to reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time since 2004, Antrim lined out as selected in midweek with teenagers Arron Graffin and Shane McNaughton gaining starts.
And this youthful Antrim line-up proved more than a match for the visitors over the opening quarter-of-an-hour with a point from the 19-year-old McNaughton putting the Saffrons 0-05 to 0-04 ahead.
It was an even opening with O'Rourke, McMahon and Daithi O'Connell showing some nice scoring touches, while Johnny McIntosh and Karl McKeegan cracked over points at the other end.
Clare took a stranglehold on proceedings midway through as they exposed the gaps between Antrim's half-backs, who had pushed up towards centre-field, and their full-back line.
Making use of Philip Brennan's lengthy and accurate puck-outs, the Banner men tagged on points through Brian O'Connell and Diarmuid McMahon again before Antrim goalkeeper Ryan McGarry pulled off a fine double save as he thwarted Jonathan Clancy.
McNaughton replied to a flurry of Clare points - Gilligan (0-02) and McMahon - and as the sun broke through the Belfast sky, Clare grabbed their opening goal.
It came from Daithi O'Connell, who managed to win a significant amount of aerial ball. Having been denied just moments earlier by a superb Sean Delargy block, O'Connell met a cross with an overhead flick and Clare were suddenly 1-09 to 0-06 ahead.
O'Connell created the opening for a Gilligan point and the latter then sped out to the 45-yard line to pick up the ball and raise another white flag.
Paddy McGill replied by bisecting Brennan's uprights and then Antrim notched a goal of their own as a ball in from Michael McCambridge was flashed to the net by the lively McManus.
Disappointingly, the Saffrons' defensive problems came back to haunt them in the final minutes of the first half as they allowed Gilligan and McMahon, who was registering his fourth point of the half, to slot over two more points and add some comfort to Clare's interval lead.
However, Antrim stepped it up again on the restart and points from McManus and McKeegan cut the gap to 1-13 to 1-09. Clare looked like they would kill off the home side's hopes when points from Gilligan and Brian O'Connell were followed by Quinn's 41st minute goal.
Yet just two minutes later, Antrim were celebrating their second goal when Herron netted with a kicked finish and subsequent points from McKeegan, McGill and Herron had Clare's advantage down to just 2-16 to 2-13 with 20 minutes to go.
Antrim were hurling well at this stage but Clare's ability to take their scores when the opportunities arose was key to their ultimate success.
Points from Derek Quinn, McMahon and Gilligan followed and Gilligan made the game safe for Considine's side when he surged through the middle and blasted past McGarry.
Points from substitute Conor McMahon and Daithi O'Connell followed with Antrim youngster Graffin also getting his name on the scoresheet, as attentions quickly turned to the sides' next qualifier outings.
Next Saturday will see Antrim look to open their win account against Laois at the same venue next weekend, while former Clare boss Ger Loughnane will no doubt get a 'warm' reception when he brings his Galway team to Ennis for what is sure to be an intriguing battle.
ANTRIM: R McGarry; A Graffin (0-01), K Kelly, S Delargy (capt); M McCambridge, J Campbell, C Herron; K McKeegan (0-04, 0-04f), B Herron; P McGill (0-03), N McManus (1-01), M Herron (1-01); S McNaughton (0-02), Johnny McIntosh (0-01), P Shields (0-01).
Subs used: K Stewart for B Herron, S McCrory (0-01) for McIntosh, B McFall for McNaughton.
CLARE: P Brennan; G O'Grady, B O'Connell (0-01), F Lohan (capt); G Quinn, C Plunkett, P Vaughan; K Dilleen, B Bugler; N Gilligan (1-06, 0-03f, 1 '65'), D McMahon (0-05), J Clancy; J McInerney (0-01), D O'Rourke (0-02), D O'Connell (1-03).
Subs used: D Quinn (1-02) for Vaughan, D Shannon for McInerney, C McMahon (0-01) for Clancy.
Referee: Tiernach Mahon (Fermanagh).
