Limerick are the first team through to the league semi-finals after a brilliant 1-21 to 1-19 victory over Dublin at Parnell Park.

This match pitted the second-placed team in Division 1B against the third-placed side from Division 1A and it was the Treaty County who put the disappointment of missing out on promotion behind them to secure a sensational victory and a semi-final date with either holders Waterford or Wexford in 15 days' time.

The defining moments in this match unfolded in the middle of the second half when Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid saved a David Treacy penalty before Kevin Downes netted at the other end for a decisive six-point swing. The Dubs could never get back on terms and Treacy's injury-time major came way too late for them.

TJ Ryan's industrious charges showed no signs of wallowing in self pity as they assumed a 0-13 to 0-9 interval lead with some fine first-half hurling and scores from eight different players before the break.

The sides were level four times inside the first 13 minutes, with Treacy (free) on target first in the sixth minute only for Shane Dowling to reply from a free at the other end. Eamonn Dillon and Paul Browne traded scores, as did Dowling (free) and Niall McMorrow before Diarmuid Byrnes and Fiontan McGibb also registered at either end.

Successive points from Kevin Downes, Dowling (free) and Gavin O'Mahony gave the visitors some breathing space and Barry Nash's point was sandwiched between two more Treacy frees - 0-8 to 0-6 after 25 minutes. Tom Morrissey had his point cancelled out by Treacy (free) before Dowling (free) and Byrnes left four between them.

McMorrow and Dillon had the Dubs back within two but Dowling's fifth point of the night and a Ronan Lynch free saw the Shannonsiders ahead by four at the short whistle.

McMorrow, Treacy (free) and Darragh O'Connell landed three Dubs points in as many minutes after the restart before Dowling ('65') and Byrnes pointed either side of a Treacy free. But Treacy (free) and David O'Callaghan had the Metropolitans level for the sixth (and final) time with 48 minutes played - 0-15 each.

Dublin won a penalty after Morrissey had edged the Treaty back in front and Treacy stepped up only to see his strike saved by Quaid with a quarter of the match left to play. Amazingly, with the next attack at the other end, Downes hit the back of the Dublin net to give the underdogs a four-point cushion again with 16 minutes left.

Dillon and O'Connell halved the deficit but Nash, John Fitzgibbon and Paudie O'Brien propelled the winners into an unassailable five-point lead with eight minutes to play. Downes cancelled out another Treacy free. McMorrow and O'Mahony traded points in the 66th and 68th minutes and the game was already done and dusted by the time top scorer Treacy found the Limerick net in the third added minute.

In the end, Limerick, who were never behind after the ninth minute, were full value for victory, which secures their first league semi-final berth in a decade.

Limerick - N Quaid; S O'Brien, R McCarthy, R English; D Byrnes (0-3), W McNamara, G O'Mahony (0-2); P Browne (0-1), J Ryan; S Dowling (0-6, 4f, 1'65), B Nash (0-2), T Morrissey (0-2); G Mulcahy, K Downes (1-2), R Lynch (0-1f). Subs: P O'Brien (0-1) for W McNamara, G Hegarty for G Mulcahy, J Fitzgibbon (0-1) for S Dowling, C Lynch for T Morrissey.

Dublin - C Dooley; E O'Donnell, C O'Callaghan, O Gough; J Madden, L Rushe, C Crummey; D O'Connell (0-2), J McCaffrey; S McGrath, N McMorrow (0-4), D Treacy (1-8, 0-7f); D O'Callaghan (0-1), F MacGibb (0-1), E Dillon (0-3). Subs: D Plunkett for S McGrath, M Schutte for F MacGibb, S Barrett for J Madden, B Quinn for J McCaffrey, O O'Rorke for D O'Callaghan.

Referee - B Gavin.

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