Sligo saved their Division 3 bacon with a dramatic one-point defeat of Clare in a humdinger at Markievicz Park.
Substitute Jack Lavin kicked the winning score with a minute left as the hosts overcame the 44th-minute dismissal of Darragh Cummins to make a great escape.
Second-half goals from Kyle Cawley and Cian Lally proved crucial for the home side, who were pegged back at different stages by the accuracy of Clare's brilliant attack, with Mark McInerney shooting 0-12.
Clare will wonder how they didn’t at least raise one green flag in a thriller.
Sligo, who only won two of their previous six games, came into this round seven fixture needing a win to be absolutely sure of their Division Three status for another campaign.
Clare came to the north-west with a better record - three wins from six - and they had been involved in the title race up until a seven-point loss to Wexford in the previous round.
Sligo started with intent and were 0-03 to 0-00 up inside the opening four minutes - two of these points came from Alan McLoughlin, who kicked 0-04 in that first-half.
The home side continued to play positively and by the 20th minute they had opened up a four-point lead, 0-10 to 0-06.
Sligo’s lead could have been greater as their 10th point was a goalbound shot from Cian Lally that was tipped over by Clare goalkeeper Tristan O’Callaghan.
But wind-assisted Clare then won a series of restarts to gain an upper hand.
Exceptional scores from Mark McInerney and Aaron Griffin pushed Clare into a two-point lead at the break, 0-16 to 0-14, as the visitors landed six two-pointers in the first-half (five from play and one via a free).
Sligo were grateful for two defensive interceptions from Tommy Ross, a Sigerson Cup winner with UL, and at the other end the influential Alan McLoughlin might have had two goals.
The second-half was an emotional rollercoaster for both sets of fans, with Sligo also keeping an eye on Limerick’s game against Fermanagh which Sligo needed to end in a draw if they failed to win here.
Sligo were four points down, 0-20 to 0-16, when they lost Cummins to a second yellow card - this dismissal came with 44 minutes on the clock.
Clare, for whom Mark McInerney was exceptional throughout, as was Aaron Griffin, later went five points clear.
Excellent goals from substitute Kyle Cawley and then Cian Lally electrified Sligo, who were three points ahead, 2-20 to 0-23, with 15 minutes left.
But Clare’s ability to pick off points - despite missing several goal chances - brought them level by the 66th minute, 0-28 to 2-22.
There was still further drama and two more goal chances for Clare - Shane Griffin sent wide from close-range and Sean McAllister cracked a shot off the crossbar.
Jack Lavin’s 69th minute point - from an Alan McLoughlin pass - gave Sligo a one-point win and there was further relief when news filtered through that Limerick beat Fermanagh, with both of them relegated.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Evan Lyons, Tommy Ross, Luke Casserly, Luke Towey (0-02), Darragh Cummins (0-01), Canice Mulligan, Conor Sheridan, Gavin Gorman, Lee Deignan (0-03, 1tp), Alan McLoughlin (0-05, 1f), Shane Deignan (0-3), David Quinn, Cian Lally (1-05), Niall Murphy (0-02, 1f)
Subs used: Jack Lavin (0-01) for Niall Murphy, 44; Pat Spillane (0-01) for David Quinn, 46; Kyle Cawley (1-00) for Shane Deignan, 52; Daire O’Boyle for Canice Mulligan, 66 (temporary)
Clare: Tristan O’Callaghan, Alan Sweeney, Ronan Lanigan, Manus Doherty, Brendy Rouine, Connor Meaney, Cormac Murray, Fionn Kelleher (0-02, 1tp), Cillian Brennan, Daniel Walsh, Shane Griffin (0-01), Josh Vaughan, Mark McInerney (0-12, 3f, 1tpf, 2tp), Eoin Cleary (0-05, 1tp), Aaron Griffin (0-07, 1f, 1tp)
Subs used: Michael Nash (0-01) for Connor Meaney, 11; Jamie Stack for Cormac Murray, 44; Gavin Murray for Daniel Walsh, 47; Ikem Ugwueru for Fionn Kelleher, 51; Sean McAllister for Brendy Rouine, 56
Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan)
