Offaly promoted to Division 2 despite Clare loss

Offaly has secured its promotion to Division 2 of the football league. They also earned a spot in next Saturday's Division 3 final, despite losing to Clare. The match took place in front of 2,176 fans at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg in Ennis. Clare mounted a comeback in the second half, with Aaron Griffin scoring two late goals that helped close a 10-point gap. While Clare finished tied with Offaly and Kildare at the top of the Division 3 table, they needed to win by 11 points to surpass them in score difference. Clare started strong, missing two early goal opportunities. Offaly, however, took the lead thanks to Jack Bryant’s 12th-minute goal. They maintained their edge, leading 2-05 to 0-06 at halftime. In the second half, Clare quickly scored four points in a row. Offaly responded with a free kick from goalkeeper Paddy Dunican, but Clare managed to tie the game. A key moment came when a point attempt from Clare's Darragh Burns resulted in a goal by Aaron Griffin, putting them ahead for the first time. Griffin added another goal in injury time, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome. Offaly's promotion remains intact, and they will face Kildare next week in the final.