DIVISION FOUR Clare 1-14 Leitrim 2-8:Leitrim squandered a seven-point first-half lead and paid a heavy price as a resurgent Clare swept them aside in a game of contrasting halves at Pairc Sean Mhic Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, yesterday.

Both sides swapped points in the opening minutes of the game, but it was Leitrim who looked the more impressive and they went on to score four more points without reply, culminating in a 24th-minute fisted goal by Conor Beirne to put them seven points ahead.

However, the game took an amazing turn after a long stoppage which resulted in forward Adrian Croal being stretchered off.

A Clare revival began during the eight minutes of injury-time allotted and the visitors scored a goal and three points without reply, reducing the half-time arrears to a single point 1-5 to 1-4 in Leitrims favour.

Leitrim lost their way and their lead as Clare went on to dominate the game after the break, with Gary Brennan and Cathal OConnor outstanding.

A late Leitrim point followed by a penalty goal by Emlyn Mulligan put a gloss on a disappointing day for the home side.

LEITRIM: C McCrann; D Beck (0-1), C Egan, P Maguire; C Clarke, P Brennan, A Wynne; W McKeon (0-2), P McGowan (0-1); A Croal E Mulligan (1-4 1pen 1f), G Hickey; C Beirne (1-0), J Glancy, K Conlon. Subs: B Flynn for C McCrann; B McDonald for A Croal; C Reynolds for G Hickey; S McWeeney for C Egan.

CLARE: J Hayes; L Healy, S McNelis, E Coughlan; D Callinan, G Kelly (0-1), M McMahon; G Brennan (0-2), C OConnor (0-1); S McGrath (0-2), A Clohessy, C Dunning; M McCarthy (0-1), D Tubridy (1-5 4f), P McMahon (0-1). Subs: R Donnelly (0-1) for C Dunning, N Kelly for P McMahon, C Duggan for M McCarthy.

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).