Sligo 1-13 Clare 0-11: Clare might well lead the nation in traditional music but it was Sligo who called the tune in the dead heat at McHale Park, Castlebar, for this qualifier, the Yeats County richly deserving of their place in the quarter-finals.

It was no symphony but when questions were asked of Sligo they responded magnificently, turning the game around in the second half as Clare lost their way, and also a man, forced to play with 14 men for the last 15 minutes after a double yellow ended Ronan Slattery's involvement in the game.

That dismissal was significant as the only goal of the match was finished by Mark Breheny, the man Slattery had been marking, and a gem of a score it was.

It was a wonderfully worked move, which had the creative genius John McPartland behind it, and the swift transfer from the powerful Seán Davey ended with Breheny crashing the ball to the net to lift Sligo five points clear.

It all but ended a contest that was always in the melting pot up to then, Sligo unable to put Clare away despite numerous chances, the Banner men lacking the necessary cohesion and finishing to open up a very solid Sligo defence.

It was Sligo who looked the stronger side in the opening quarter, midfielder Davey on target inside 30 seconds.

The response from Clare was immediate, Peter O'Dwyer finding the target from play, but it was Sligo who led by doubles scores - 0-6 to 0-3 - by the 17th minute, McPartland with two good scores from play and Breheny stroking over two frees.

However, it all went wrong for Sligo, who finished the half two in arrears - 0-8 to 0-6 - substitute Michael O'Dwyer heralding a great Clare revival with a fine point, Odran O'Dwyer, Enda Coughlan and two frees from Rory Donnelly lifting Clare two clear.

That gap would have been considerably greater but for some woeful finishing by the Clare forwards, who posted seven bad wides in that first half.

That affliction was to hit Sligo in the second half as they dominated most of the game but just couldn't put the opposition away, six wides allowing Clare to hang in.

Within two minutes of the second half Sligo were back on level terms, Clare indiscipline now beginning to hurt, with Breheny nailing two frees.

But it was just a one-point game when Slattery received his marching orders (0-10 to 0-9), Clare clinging on bravely until Sligo struck for that killer goal five minutes from the end and their ticket to the quarter-finals.

SLIGO: P Greene; P Naughton (0-1), J Martyn, B Phillips; P Doohan, B Egan, J Davey; S Davey (0-2), N McGuire; J McPartland (0-4), M Breheny (1-6, five frees), D McGarty; D McTiernan, D Sloyan, G McGowan. Subs: K O'Neill for McGowan (33 mins), B Curran for McTiernan (49 mins), T Taylor for McGarty (51 mins).

CLARE: D O'Brien; P Gallagher, D Kelly, G Tubridy; A Clohessy, R Slattery, M O'Connell; G Quinlan, P O'Dwyer (0-1); M Ó Sé, E Coughlan (0-1), D Russell; R Donnelly (0-7, all frees), S Hickey, O O'Dwyer (0-1). Subs: M O'Dwyer (0-1) for Hickey (20 mins), C Whelan for Tubridy (21 mins), J Moody for Ó Sé (60 mins).

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).