CLARE hurlers left Casement Park yesterday afternoon a relieved bunch after carving out a tough 3-21 to 215 win over Antrim in the hurling qualifiers. The visitors fully deserved their win but they had to work mighty hard to get it. In the end, it took a closing burst to finally brush off the tenacious Antrim challenge as the Saffrons threw everything at the visitors, failing to die when hit with snap goals.

During a fast and furious first half, Diarmuid McMahon proved to be a thorn in Antrim's side with the visitors moving into a 1-13 to 1-7 lead at the break. McMahon accounted for four of those Clare points. The teams were level four times over the opening 12 minutes with young Shane McNaughton hitting two Antrim points in quick succession to put the Saffrons 0-5 to 0-4 ahead before Brian O'Connell squared the game for the fourth time.

Clare then took control and a goal by Brian O'Connell in the 19th minute, when he knocked a sideline puck from his brother Datha� into the net, sent the Munster men into a commanding 1-9 to 0-6 lead. Antrim scored only one point, from Paddy McGill, in an 18-minute spell from the 11th but then hit back splendidly. Teenager McGill knocked over another point and 19-year old Neil McManus rifled the ball to the Clare net on 31 minutes to leave the score at 1-7 to 111 for Clare.

Early points by McManus and McKegan (free) in the second half narrowed the gap but Gilligan and Brian O'Connell wiped out those home points. However, Antrim battled like tigers for the entire second period and let Clare know they were in a game. In a swift upfield raid Conor Plunkett found half-time sub Derek Quinn inside and he snapped up Clare's second goal in the 41st minute. But immediately Antrim hit back with a Brendan Herron goal to leave the score at 2-15 to 2-9 for Clare.

Some excellent long-range pointed frees by Karl McKeegan raised Antrim's hopes of a surprise win with Paddy McGill and Michael Herron adding other points. With 15 minutes left the home side were well in the hunt to shock the visitors at 2-17 to 213. However, the experience of Clare shone in the closing stages with replacement Quinn staking a strong claim for a place against Galway when they take the field next weekend.

Over the closing 13 minutes of a lively match, the visitors hit 1-4 to just two points by the home side to run out 3-21 to 2-15 winners.

The goal came just two minutes from time with dangerman Niall Gilligan the finisher.

Gilligan picked up a ball from Brian O'Connell around half-forward and drove towards the posts before rifling the sliothar home.

That score in the 68th minute really ended the contest, leaving Clare with two points early in the group.

ANTRIM R McGarry; A Graf"n (0-1), K Kelly, S Delargy; M McCambridge, J Campbell, C Herron; K McKeegan (0-4, all frees), B Herron;

P McGill (0-3), N McManus (1-1), M Herron (11); S McNaughton (0-2), J McIntosh (0-1), P Shields (0-1) Subs K Stewart for B Herron, 4 mins; S McCrory for McIntosh, 51 mins; B McFall for McNaughton, 61 mins CLARE P Brennan; G O'Grady, F Lohan, K Dileen; B Bolger, G Quinn, C Plunkett; J McInerney (0-1), B O'Connell (0-2); D O'Rourke (0-1), D McMahon (0-5, 0-1 sideline), P Vaughan; D O'Connell (1-3), N Gilligan (0-6, 0-3 frees, one sideline), J Clancy Subs D Quinn (1-2) for Vaughan, h-t; D Shannon for McInerney, 60 mins; C McMahon (0-1) for Clancy, 67 mins Referee T Mahon (Fermanagh)