CLARE'S habit of injecting intrigue and excitement into Munster championship fare knows no bounds. This time, it was the turn of John O'Keeffe's exceptionally well drilled football team as they held provincial champions Cork to a draw at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday.

"It culminated in a classic example of brinkmanship as Aidan O'Keeffe kicked the equalising point for Clare from a 45 four minutes into injury time. The replay is scheduled for Sunday next.

Clare's hunger was matched by their ability to move the ball about. But, they were betrayed as frequently by woefully poor finishing.

Their six first half wides were compounded by seven more in the second half. Some of these came from the most unlikely sources, with match hero O'Keeffe and Martin Daly among the culprits.

In a rough and tumble tie, in which six players were booked, Cork were frequently outpaced by Clare's fitness levels and technique. Frank Griffin's heroic display at full back, although he was conceding inches to Colin Corkery, was typical of Clare's resolve.

Cork manager Billy Morgan felt hard done by the decision to award Clare that late 45, but he will reflect with relief on a second half incident in which Clare were denied a point when one umpire considered Martin Daly's effort to be good.

It happened in the third quarter and the "score" would have left the sides on level terms (0-7 to 0-7) for the third time. After Tipperary referee Paddy Russell had consulted with both umpires he signalled a wide himself.

It was clear that if Corkery was ever to do something startling he would have to get away from the clutches of Griffin. The tall Cork man did just that to display a magical moment of awareness and vision that all but won the match for Cork.

With Cork grimly holding, on to a one point advantage 17 minutes into the second half Mark O Sullivan was fouled 60 yards from goal. Everyone seemed to be arguing the validity of Russell's decision while Corkery proceeded to deliver, a pin point pass to John O Driscoll.

The Cork corner forward was held up by his marker Padraig Gallagher in a spreadeagled Clare defence, caught napping for once O'Driscoll passed into the path of the oncoming Mark O'Sullivan who shot the only goal of the match. Amazingly this was Cork's last score of the game.

Cork led three times in all, on "the last occasion by four points after Corkery's goal, but Clare kept coming back. In the first half they trailed by 0-1 to 0-4 but got back to be only one point in arrears at the interval, 0-5 to 0-4.

Brian Corcoran switched early with right corner back Mark O'Connor and proceeded to play effectively, as did O'Connor, with Brian Collins given the unenviable task of chasing the roaming Padraig Conway.

The lion's share of the defensive honours were won by Clare defenders Barry Keating, Griffin, Padraig Gallagher, John Enright, Michael Galvin and Martin Keavey. The fact that Clare goal keeper James Hanrahan had nothing serious to deal with apart from Mark O'Sullivan's goal, demonstrates the quality of the backs' covering.

The Cork attack posed little threat, mainly because of the erratic supply from midfield. The probings by Clare's Ger Keane, O'Keeffe and Martin Daly looked far more likely to produce winning scores. That they failed to do so is something that will have to be addressed by John O'Keeffe.

Brendan Rouine and Michael Hynes were a more consistent link between defence and attack for Clare than Liam Honahan and Danny Culloty were for Cork.