NFL DIVISION FOUR: Leitrim 0-12 Clare 0-11: A WAYNE McKeon point deep in extra-time against an impressive 13-man Clare got Leitrim off to a winner at Páirc Seán Mhic Diarmada yesterday.
Referee Shaun McLaughlin red-carded two Clare players, Gordon Kelly in the 29th minute and David Tubridy in the 40th minute, for personal fouls and handed out four yellow cards to each side in a game generally free of incident.
Leitrim led 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval, but Clare resorted parity within two minutes of the restart and led by two points with four minutes remaining.
However, Leitrim dug deep and two pointed frees by substitute Conor Beirne and a third from play by McKeon in the 72nd minute edged out the Bannermen.
LEITRIM:C McCrann; G Reynolds, R Gallagher, P Maguire; D Beck, B McWeeney, B Prior; T Beirne, W McKeon (0-1); R Mulvey (0-1), J Glancy (0-4 one free), P Brennan; B McDonald, A Croal (0-2), R Cox (0-1). Subs: C Beirne (0-3, frees) for R Cox, C Maguire for R Mulvey, C Clarke for P Brennan, C Sheridan for G Reynolds, D Sweeney for B McDonald.
CLARE:J Hayes; L Healy, B Duggan, N White; M McMahon, G Kelly, J Hayes; G Brennan (0-1 free), C O'Connor (0-1); D Daly, D Tubridy (0-3 two frees), N Browne; R Donnelly (0-2), T Ryan, A Clohessy (0-3 two frees). Subs: S Brennan (0-1) for T Ryan, K Hartnett for N White, M Foran for D Daly, S McNelis for M McMahon.
Referee:S McLaughlin (Donegal)