This was a fully merited resurrection for Offaly while Clare only dug themselves deeper into the mire as the Tailteann Cup got off to an unpredictable start in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg.
Offaly, off the back of nine consecutive competitive defeats in the O'Byrne Cup, Allianz Football League and Leinster Championship, drew a line in the sand in Ennis, with Dylan Hyland immense as their talismanic forward to pop up with scores at crucial times, ending the afternoon with nine.
Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte’s side definitely didn’t lack leaders but the same couldn’t be said for a Banner team that, just like their hurling counterparts against Limerick six days earlier, never really managed to get off the ground.
That malaise was crippling but nit detrimental as a 1-03 blitz ten minutes into the new half managed to fully repair the damage. However, having finally gotten themselves into a match-winning position, Offaly were doubly determined not to let slip this glorious opportunity, with Hyland steering the ship to finish with a 0-5 to 0-2 final flourish to seal victory.
The visitors had set the tone from the outset as backed by a strong wind, Hyland lofted over a two-pointer in the eighth minute to give them a lead that they would hold for the next forty minutes.
Lee Pearson and Cormac Murray were unlucky with goal chances at either end but with Aaron Griffin keeping the home side in touch, they would have been content to only trail by the minimum at 0-5 to 0-4 by the half hour mark.
It was Dyland Hyland that inevitably lessened that home satisfaction though as he kicked his second two-pointer before late scores through Marcas Dalton and Nathan Poland ensured a healthy 0-9 to 0-4 interval advantage.
The only way was up for a strangely lethargic Clare who had grittily pushed reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry all the way in their recent Munster Semi-Final. And the home side did improve with Cillian Brennan beginning the Banner backlash but it was Cormac Murray’s intervention that really sparked a sea-change in the 43rd minute.
Taking an Ikem Ugwueru offload, the St. Joseph’s Miltown forward powered through to billow the net before adding a two-pointer within two minutes to actually catapult Clare in front for the very first time at 1-8 to 1-6 by the 45th minute.
Offaly’s response would be swift and emphatic as Nathan Poland and Jordan Hayes combined superbly to pick out the unmarked Shane Tierney at the back post to easily finish to the home net at 1-9 to 1-8.
Brian McNamara kicked the next two points for Clare to nudge themselves back in front but the defiant Hyland would almost single-handedly hold off their hosts as on three more occasions he would edge Offaly back in front by the 58th minute at 1-13 to 1-12.
Such defiance finally appeared to wear down Clare’s resistance as Offaly added the next three points through Marcas Dalton, substitute Harry Plunkett and Hyland to soar 1-16 to 1-12 clear by the 65th minute.
Not even a sinbin for Dalton and a two pointer for Clare captain Mark McInerney could derail the Faithful County who re-established control through Plunkett and were about to stretch the gap further when the final hooter sounded.
Offaly: Conor Melia; Shane O’Toole Greene, Lee Pearson, David Dempsey; Cormac Egan, Diarmuid Egan, Jordan Hayes (0-01); Jack McEvoy, Kyle Higgins; Marcas Dalton (0-02), Nathan Poland (0-01), Aaron Leavy; Keith O’Neill (0-02), Dylan Hyland (0-09, 1tpf, 2tp), Shane Tierney (1-00)
Subs: Harry Plunkett (0-02) for Tierney (47), Rory Egan for D. Egan (64), Darragh Flynn for Poland (68)
Clare: Tristan O’Callaghan; Ikem Ugwueru, Ronan Lanigan, Manus Doherty; Brendy Rouine, Cillian Brennan (0-01), Alan Sweeney (0-01); Brian McNamara (0-03), Josh Vaughan; Connor Meaney, Gavin Murray, Fionn Kelleher (0-01); Mark McInerney (0-02, 1tp), Cormac Murray (1-02, 1tp), Aaron Griffin (0-03)
Subs: Morgan Garry for Doherty (7-8, BS), Joe Rafferty (0-01) for Kelleher (51), Daniel Walsh for G. Murray (57), Shane Griffin for Vaughan (61), Jamie Stack for Sweeney (64)
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)
