Clare have drawn with Cavan in the opening game of the National Football League Division Two.
The Banner shared the spoils on a score line of Clare 1-12 Cavan 2-9
Clare led at the break by 1-7 to 1-2 having played with the breeze.
Cavan hit the back of the Banner net inside the opening minute through Caoimhin O’Reilly but Clare’s response was swift.
Conor Finucane, Eoin Cleary & Keelan Sexton all found the range to level the game before Cavan hit the front once more.
Then came the big score of the half as Sexton pressured the Cavan goalkeeper into fumbling possession and Eimhin Courtney finished to an empty net.
Cleary hit another with the Breffni men responding but from there, Gearoid O’Brien, Cleary, and Finucane found the target to leave the Banner five clear at half time.
Gary Brennan and O’Brien opened the second half scoring with Cavan then hitting a brace of their own to leave it Clare 1-9 Cavan 1-4.
Cathal O’Connor then put Clare six clear, but a second Cavan goal was quickly followed by a brace of points and suddenly the gap was just one.
Tempers frayed at this point with Clare losing captain Gary Brennan to a black card after a gathering of players with 15 minutes to go.
Eoin Cleary was denied a goal by brilliant save after a sweeping move, with the resultant “45 sent wide.
Cavan captain Dara McVeety leveled matters with 65 minutes on the clock, and they then hit the front with three left to play.
Eoin Cleary leveled it once more with the Breffni hitting the post in their quest for a winner.
Keelan Sexton restored Clare’s lead in injury time, but Cavan then won a free inside the Banner “45 metre line.
It was converted by Bryan Magee and the sides ended level.
Here’s the thoughts of Clare midfielder Cathal O’Connor
