Last year’s beaten finalists Clare are out of the Intermediate Championship, as a spell binding second half from Tyrone inspired by Chloe McCaffrey and Aoife Horisk finding the net, saw them to a one point win.

After a nerve wracking seven minutes of additional time, Tyrone punched their ticket for the last four of the TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship. Ranked underdogs coming into the tie they found that early season form to get them over the line against Clare.

Chloe McCaffrey’s inspirational start to the second half cut the deficit which stood at 2-4 to 0-4 to just a single point, the forward striking 1-2 in a two minute window that certainly stunned Clare. Aoife Horisk who played a blinder in the forward line grabbed a vital second goal that kept momentum with Tyrone right to the long whistle, before McCaffrey and Maria Canavan scored late points to secure the narrow win.

It was a slow start for both teams as they struggled to find the posts in the early exchanges. It was Clare who notched the game's opening point when Roisin Considine sent the ball over the blackspot after some patient build up play after five minutes.

Less than 60 seconds later Amy Lenihan produced a strong point blank save to deny Aoife Horisk from close range, Horisk gathered the rebound but was hauled down in the process and referee Ger Canny awarded a penalty. Maria Canavan stepped up and the spot kick ended up sailing over Lenihan’s crossbar.

Caoimhe Harvey nudged Clare ahead a minute later with eight minutes elapsed, ce;ebration short lived as Horisk had the white flag raised seconds later at the other end. Tyrone would take the lead for the first time in the 14th minute when Canavan pointed a close range free after Zoe Loughran was fouled.

By quarters end Tyrone continued to lead by the minimum, it could have been greater had Grainne Harvey not made a vital intervention to punch the ball out of the hands of Emma Jane Gervin.

Fidelma Marrinan soon levelled the tie from a free in the 19th minute as Clare were certainly struggling with their passing when attacking the Tyrone goal. Marrinan almost added a goal seconds later, Chloe Moloney played a beautiful pass inside for Ailish Considine and a slipped handpass to Marrinan brought their first goal chance which Amelia Coyle denied with an outstretched right leg.

The Red Hands kept their heads up and Chloe McCaffrey slotted over a free to restore their advantage in the 22nd minute. Clare needed a response and, like waiting for a bus, two arrived almost immediately, as Laurie Ryan and Ailish Considine found the back of the Tyrone net.

Ryan made a swashbuckling run through the Tyrone rearguard and with a little dummy skipped past Coyle and rippled the net. The second arrived in the 24th minute as Clare again attacked with purpose Marrinan saw Ailish Considine in space and with a hand pass across the face of goal the Kilmihil forward had space to steady herself before firing past Coyle.

The Banner found their rhythm late in the half and Marrinan curled over a free on stoppage time to put the hosts ahead 2-4 to 0-4 at the break. Tyrone in the blink of an eye were six points down at the break but came out fighting in the second half.

McCaffrey struck 1-2 in two points to reduce the deficit to a single point. A point from an acute angle was followed by a goal seconds later as Tyrone turned over the resulting Clare kickout, McCaffrey took aim from range as Lenihan was out of the goal and the ball rippled the net. A free kept the Tyrone momentum going as Clare looked rocked early in that second half.

The Banner did get their opening score of the half in the 38th minute from Marrinan, before Moloney curled over one of the scores of the day in the 41st minute to push the lead out to three points. Again it was short lived as Tyrone found space with a bliseting attack and Horisk this time found the back of the net.

The game again was level as both sides looked to get that key score to take the lead. With six minutes remaining of normal time, Horisk struck the gloves of Lenihan and went over the bar for the lead. Two minutes later McCaffrey again tested Lenihan but again the Clare shot stopper produced a save. The visitors recycled the ball from the rebound and Canavan extended the lead to two from play.

On the hour mark Clare would pull a point back through Moloney, but as they huffed and puffed through seven minutes of stoppage time they could not find the vital score to change the outcome. Clare one of the favourites are out and Tyrone will meet Down in the semi-final.