Limerick are the second team through to the provincial semi-finals after recording a 2-11 to 1-8 victory over Clare at the Gaelic Grounds.

With 2,240 spectators on hand, substitutes Josh Ryan and Cian Magnier Flynn netted for the winners in the last eight minutes as they finally pulled away for a deserved win.

Clare will get another chance to seal a place in the last four when they take on the losers of the first play-off between Tipperary and Waterford (beaten by Cork tonight) next month. Tonight's winners won't be back in action until June 29th.

At the end of a low-quality first half, where players from both sides struggled to get to grips with the treacherous cross-field wind, the teams were level: Limerick 0-7 Clare 1-4.

An Ian Murray major in the second minute gave the Banner County a dream start but the hosts battled back and four consecutive scores had them level by the midway stage in the first half, 0-4 to 1-1, with Mark O'Dwyer slotting the equaliser from a free.

The Treaty County kept motoring and the impressive Brian Ryan stylishly registered their sixth score on the spin in the 18th minute. A Sean O'Loughlin free halved the deficit and the away side hit two of the next three scores through O'Loughlin and Conor Tierney to go in level at the break.

There were only three points scored in the third quarter and the winners got two of those to lead by one; it was nip and tuck until Ryan's three-pointer eight minutes from the end swung the pendulum very much in Limerick's favour, 1-11 to 1-7.

The Banner closed within a goal and had an opportunity from a close-range free late on but it was the home team who prevailed, with Magnier Flynn nailing the insurance goal in stoppage time.

Limerick - M Kelly; B Nash, W O'Meara, B Timmons; J Adams, C O'Connor (0-1), F Hourigan; C Nicholas, C McCarthy (0-1); K Hayes (0-2), D Carroll (0-1), B Ryan (0-1); C Boylan (0-2), A Barrett, M O'Dwyer (0-3f). Subs: C Magnier Flynn (1-0) for A Barrett, J Ryan (1-0) for M O'Dwyer, D Woulfe for C McCarthy, C Flahive for B Timmons, D Minihan for C O'Connor.

Clare - K Nugent; C McInerney, D O'Loughlin, K White; P Mulready, C Noonan, T O'Meara; R Hayes, C Tierney (0-1); G Cooney, D Fitzgerald, S Kennedy; S O'Loughlin (0-5f), K Galvin, I Murray (1-0). Subs: A Kennedy (0-2) for I Murray, S Costelloe for C McInerney, T Connellan for G Cooney, M Danaher for K Galvin.

Referee - T Walsh.

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