Armagh are one game away from the super 8s as Clare were left in the shade in the scorching Athletic Grounds.
It was Armagh’s greater impact off the bench in the final moments that was crucial to a last gasp victory in what was the first ever championship meeting of the pair.
Substitute Joe McElroy got the match-defining goal in a 1-5 to no score surge following what looked like a decisive David Tubridy goal after he rebounded his own penalty.
Niall Grimley, Rory Grugan, and replacements Gavin McParland and Ross McQullian got in on the act before Aidan Forker stunned the travelling Clare men with the final score of the game.
Charlie Vernon was in All-Star form around the middle of the field but Armagh weren’t able to take advantage and were quite wasteful in the opening exchanges. They kicked 11 wides in the first half alone.
Wing forward Jamie Malone pointed against the run of play and was Clare's liveliest player throughout.
Kieran McGeeney’s troops continued to build pressure however, and were rewarded with four scores in quick succession in the form of a brace of frees and one from play from Rory Grugan following Niall Grimley's opening score from a from a free.
Having struggled to establish an inside threat, Pearse Lillis came up from the back to score from long range. Eímhín Courtney and Keelan Sexton took inspiration and duly levelled, while veteran Tubridy popped up to give Clare a deserved lead.
Armagh, under instruction, didn’t press the Clare kick-out and Colm Collins' side worked the ball cleverly out of defence time and time again with some hard lines of running.
Grimley (free) and Ryan McShane pulled the game back into Armagh’s reach just as it threatened to get away from them. Courtney and Murnin traded points before Blaine Hughes was forced into a full stretch save from Jamie Malone's effort off the deck after yet another exhausting run.
Eoin Cleary and the impressive Malone gave the visitors the lead before the break to leave the scoreboard reading 0-09 to 0-07, with all the banner's first half efforts coming from play.
As predicted, the game slowed down to the prescribed conditions but Clare’s accuracy didn’t. Striking four on the trot via Lillis, Cleary, Tubridy and midfielder Cathal O’Connor after Vernon pulled one back.
Grimley again kept Armagh in touch with an important free and Andrew Murnin followed up with an even more important score, a goal.
Showing supreme composure, Tubridy responded and Cleary picked off a counter-attacking score to quell the Orchard men’s growing superiority.
Like the heat of the day, Armagh would not relent and a Grugan double from play left a point in it. Tubridy sensed a famous triumph with the goal, but instead it sparked a strong finish from Armagh.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Patrick Burns, Brendan Donaghy, Gregory McCabe; Mark Shields,Aaron McKay, Connaire Mackin; Charlie Vernon (0-01), Stephen Sheridan; Ryan McShane (0-01), Niall Grimley (0-04, 0-04f), Jemar Hall; Rory Grugan(0-06, 0-02f), Andrew Murnin (1-01), Aidan Forker (0-01).
Subs Used: Niall Rowland for C Mackin (HT), Ryan Owens for A McKay (42mins)
Ross McQuillian (0-01) for J Hall ( 50 mins). Joe McElroy (1-00) for S Sheridan (55 mins), Gavin McParland (0-01) for R McShane (65 mins), Jason Duffy for M Shields (73 mins)
Clare: Robert Eyres; Aaron Fitzgerald, Cillian Brennan, Gordon Kelly; Cian O’Dea, Pearse Lillis (0-02), Eoghan Collins; Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor (0-01); Ciarán Malone, Keelan Sexton (0-01), Jamie Malone (0-03); Éimhín Courtney (0-02), Eoin Cleary (0-03, 0-01), David Tubridy (1-02).
Subs Used: Kevin Hartnett for E Collins (HT), Killian Roche for E Eyres (50 mins) Conal Ó hÁiniféin for C O’Dea BC (56 mins), Gearóid O’Brien for A Fitzgerald (63 mins), Gavin Cooney for K Sexton (65 mins).
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
