St Brendan's (K'rney) 0-9 St Flannan's Ennis 0-5: St Brendan's edged out St Flannan's, who squandered three gilt-edged goal opportunities at Charleville yesterday.

With constant rain and very heavy underfoot conditions the game failed to sparkle but it was not for lack of honest endeavour by both sides.

St Flannan’s missed a penalty on 37 minutes, after St Brendan’s goalkeeper Andrew O’Connor produced a diving, finger-tip save.

St Brendan’s dominated the first half.

They led by 0-3 to nil after 20 minutes and it was all of 23 minutes before the Clare side had their first point when outstanding centre back Aidan McGuane raced upfield and showed his forwards how to score.

St Brendan’s led by 0-6 to 0-1 at the break

It was a different matter in the second half as the Clare side dominated but couldn’t turn it into scores.

For the winners, goalkeeper O’Connor and Brian Lynch in defence, midfielder Kieran Murphy and wing forward Michael Burns shone; with centre back McGuane, Conor O’Brien, and Martin O’Leary the pick of the Clare side that can only blame themselves for going out.