For the fourth year running, Clare have eliminated Limerick from the Munster senior football championship - 1-23 to 0-14 the final score tonight at the Gaelic Grounds.

With 2,304 spectators looking on, Colm Collins side eased to victory, despite a second-quarter blip, to seal a semi-final date with defending Munster champions Kerry in Killarney on Sunday, June 3^rd.

Kingdom boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice was in attendance and will have been impressed by the fact that the winners notched 1-22 from play and had 13 different scorers, including hauls of 1-3 from debutant Kieran Malone and five points from play for centre forward Eoin Cleary.

Wing forward Malone's 17^th-minute goal - after his initial effort was saved - had the visitors ahead by 1-6 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter. Limerick kicked six of the next seven points but late efforts from Malone and David Tubridy assured the winners of a 1-9 to 0-7 interval advantage.

Clare's Gordon Kelly and Aaron Fitzgerald tackle Jamie Lee of Limerick. ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry.

They owed a debt of gratitude to goalkeeper Eamon Tubridy, who executed a good save to deny Jamie Lee a first-half goal.

The hosts closed within two points upon the resumption courtesy of Lee and one of five converted Sean McSweeney frees but the Banner completely got on top thereafter, a run of five unanswered points from Eimhin Courtney, Malone, Cathal O'Connor and Cleary (2) between the 47^th and 53^rd minutes sending them on their way.

Conal O hAinifein, Gearoid O'Brien, Gavin Cooney, Conor Finucane (0-2) and Martin O'Leary all added to the winners' tally after coming off the bench as they powered into the penultimate round of the provincial competition, consigning Limerick to the familiar environs of the Qualifiers.

Clare - E Tubridy; G Kelly, C Brennan, E Collins; C O'Dea, A Fitzgerald, P Lillis (0-1); G Brennan, C O'Connor (0-1); K Malone (1-3), E Cleary (0-5), J Malone (0-1); E Courtney (0-2), K Sexton (0-1), D Tubridy (0-3, 1f). Subs: C O hAinifein (0-1) for G Kelly, G O'Brien (0-1) for K Sexton, G Cooney (0-1) for D Tubridy, C Finucane (0-2) for K Malone, M O'Leary (0-1) for E Courtney, E O'Connor for E Collins.

Limerick - D O'Sullivan; G Noonan, S O'Dea, D Connolly; P Maher, C Fahy, G Browne; M Fitzgibbon, D Treacy; D Neville (0-2), S McSweeney (0-5f), P White (0-1); J Lee (0-3, 1f), P Begley, P Nash. Subs: I Corbett for P Nash (BC), J Ryan (0-3, 2f) for P Begley, K Ryan for J Lee, D Daly for G Browne, D Lyons for M Fitzgibbon, P Scanlon for D Neville.

Referee - N Mooney.

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