A good run out for the NFL Division One champions saw left full forward Mike Frank Russell also in impressive form, and his run of four scores from the eighth to the 28 minute proved one of the only bright sparks in a stop-start performance.

Clare, but for some wayward shooting, might have run them closer but a Munster semi-final against neighbours Cork is sure to sharpen green and gold minds.

Odran O'Dwyer pointed the Banner men into the lead after 2-and-a-half minutes, and the only time in the game.

Crowley combined well with Brosnan, who had galloped toe-to-hand for 20 metres, to strike home to the Clare net two minutes later to edge in front.

Russell claimed his first of two frees on 7 minutes and had Kerry 1-04 to 0-01 in front before namesake Denis Russell pulled Clare back on the half hour from 30 metres, following five wides.

Russell added another in injury time, left-footed from an acute angle but that only served to awaken Kerry from their slumber, and Colin Cooper and Brosnan quickly tapped the visitors into a six-point half time lead.

By that stage Michael Meade had been called in to referee following a tenth minute collision between Roscommon official Gerry Kinneavy and a midfield ruck, with the striken whistle blower requiring five stitches in the aftermath.

Mike Frank Russell pinged over his fifth two minutes after the restart but Clare sparked a little revival in their fortunes as David and Denis Russell pointed in as many minutes. They proceeded to go scoreless for the next twelve minutes as Colin Mullan was next to raise a white flag in the 55th minute.

By that stage Kerry's Russell and Brosnan (0-02) had added three more points and following a mix-up in the Clare rearguard Dr. Crokes forward Brosnan claimed a fortunate second goal on 57 minutes.

Clare, whose hopes of making it out of the qualifiers looked doomed with a record of one win from their previous nine Munster and All-Ireland qualifier games, did score the final three points with Evan Talty, Mullan and Michael O'Dwyer scoring on 60, 67 and 69 minutes, but the spoils were Kerry's.

Former All-star and current Kerry selector Ger O'Keeffe knows bigger challenges lay ahead. "It was far from convincing from us," he explained, "but it was one of those days, maybe we were a bit flat from the league campaign. With Clare, we knew we had to be careful.

They played defensively and were difficult to break down but it was just about getting through for us today."

Scorers: Clare: Denis Russell 0-03, C Mullan 0-02, O O'Dwyer, M O'Dwyer, E Talty, David Russell 0-01 each

Kerry: E Brosnan 1-03, MF Russell 0-06, J Crowley 1-00, C Cooper 0-01

Clare: D O'Brien; P Gallagher, C Whelan, K Dilleen; N Griffin, B Considine, R Slattery; David Russell, D O'Sullivan; G Quinlan, Denis Russell, O O'Dwyer; C Mullan, E Coughlan, S O'Meara.

Kerry: D Murphy; T O’Sullivan, M McCarthy, A O’Mahony; T O’Se, E Fitzmaurice, S Moynihan; D O’Se, W Kirby; P Galvin, D O’Sullivan, E Brosnan; C Cooper, J Crowley, MF Russell.

HT: Clare 0-03 Kerry 1-06

Ref: G Kinneavy (Roscommon)