Clare are firmly in the hunt for promotion to Division 2 following a dramatic comeback victory over Laois in O'Moore Park this evening.
Peter Keane's charges were seven points down at half time but staged a brilliant recovery to win by four points.
Emmet McMahon moved to midfield in the second period and he completely transformed the Banner County.
He won kick-out after kick-out, set up scores and slotted seven points himself as Clare came back for a very welcome two points.
The Banner now face Offaly in their final game in what is likely to be a winner-takes-all affair for promotion.
Laois play Fermanagh in their last game next Sunday in Enniskillen but it is essentially a dead-rubber for the Leinster side as they cannot get promoted and relegation looks highly unlikely.
This game started at a frantic pace with Aaron Griffin and Mark Barry exchanging points before Clare struck for a goal.
Griffin showed Seamus Lacey a clean pair of heels before smashing a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Conor Heffernan replied for Laois and the scores went tit-for-tat like that until the 13th minute.
Clare led 1-04 to 0-05 at that point but Laois would dominate the next ten minutes to take the lead for the first time.
Damon Larkin and Conor Heffernan were immense in midfield during that period while Barry was accurate up front.
Laois kicked six points in a row with Kevin Swayne and Niall Corbet scoring while Barry got the rest.
Clare recovered with points from Ciaran Downes and Ikem Ugweuru but Laois caught them at the end with a goal.
Josh Hogan's effort dropped short but Ronan Coffey jumped above Eamon Tubridy and punched the ball into the Clare net to leave it 1-13 to 1-07 to Laois.
The sides swapped points when play resumed as Mark McInerney and Josh Hogan exchanged scores.
But then McMahon made a big dent in Laois's lead with two frees and a score from play.
Captain Brian Byrne hit back to leave it 1-15 to 1-11 after 45 minutes.
Keeper Killian Roche then landed his second two-point free of the game but Clare came back with a 45 from McInerney and free from McMahon to leave it 1-17 to 1-14 as the game entered the final quarter.
Barry's seventh point edged Laois further ahead but Clare were right back in it when they carved Laois open with a series of hand-passes and Alan Sweeney palmed in at the back post.
Griffin levelled the game up but a stunning two-pointer from Conor Heffernan left it 1-20 to 2-15 with 60 minutes played.
McMahon and Barry swapped points before Griffin took his tally to 1-04 to leave one it to Laois and 65 minutes on the clock.
McMahon levelled the game with a free and then won the next kick-out to release Brian McNamara who put Clare ahead for the first time since the 17th minute.
McMahon scored again then as Darragh Burns pointed to put three in it, five minutes of injury time were signalled.
But the only score that came in that period was an Eoin Cleary free as Clare took the win.
KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Laois: Killian Roche (0-04, 2tpf); Simon Fingleton, Trevor Collins, Ben Dempsey; Pa Kirwan, Brian Byrne (0-01), Seamus Lacey; Conor Heffernan (0-03, 1tpf), Damon Larkin (0-01); Danny O'Reilly, Ronan Coffey (1-00), Kevin Swayne (0-01); Mark Barry (0-08, 0-04fs), Niall Corbet (0-02), Josh Hogan (0-01).
Subs: Benny Carroll for O'Reilly (51), Paddy O'Sullivan for Larkin (62, inj), Shuan Fitzpatrick for Hogan (66), Cathal Lee for Corbet (69).
Clare: Eamon Tubridy; Cillian Rouine, Cillian Brennan, Manus Doherty; Ikem Ugweuru (0-01), Fionn Kellher, Alan Sweeney (1-00); Conor Meaney, Brian McNamara (0-01); Ciaran Downes (0-02), Eoin Cleary (0-03, 0-02fs), Keelan Sexton; Mark McInerney (0-03, 0-02 45s), Emmet McMahon (0-07, 0-04fs), Aaron Griffin (1-04).
Subs: Dermot Coughlan for Meaney (ht), Daniel Walsh for McMahon (45 blood, reversed 52), Daniel Walsh for Downes (52), Darragh Burns (0-01) for Sexton (56), Ronan Lanigan for Kelleher (66), Shane Griffin for Sweeney (69).
Referee: David Murnane (Cork).
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