KERRY...2-08 CLARE...0-12: Kerry substitute Eddie Bowler helped his side overcome Clare in a tight first-round game at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday.

Introduced 10 minutes into the second half, the Moyvane man scored two goals and a point to snatch victory in a game that Clare had mostly dominated.

Leading by 0-6 to 0-2 after 22 minutes, Clare allowed Kerry some leeway, and their lead was cut to just one point (0-6 to 0-5) at the whistle.

Within five minutes of the restart, Clare forged ahead and were in front by 0-10 to 0-5. But Bowler pointed midway through the half and began the Kerry revival, and found the Clare net on two occasions to snatch the lead late in the game.

His second left Kerry 2-6 to 0-11 in front, and they managed to hold out to reach the semi-final at the expense of a bitterly disappointed Clare.

KERRY: D Enright; J Costello, S O'Sullivan, J Doyle; M O'Shea, S Cremin, S Flynn; E J O'Donoghue (0-1), I Flynn; J Mulvihill, E Galvin (0-2), S Fogarty; J Shanahan (0-1), R Donovan, K Foley (0-3). Subs: A Lynch for Donovan, A Giles for Doyle, E Bowler (2-1) for Mulvihill.

CLARE: F Maguire; B Troy, M Kelly, P Foley; D Callinan (0-1), N O'Grady, P Hennessy; D Lynch (0-1), S Meade (0-1); M O'Loughlin, N Considine (0-1), M Murphy; A Daly (0-5), M Liddane (0-2), E Curtin. Subs: D O'Brien (0-1) for Murphy, D McDonagh for O'Loughlin, L Healy for Hennessy, J Dowling for Curtin.

Referee: M Walsh (Limerick).