Limerick 1-21

Clare 2-17

Limerick scored four of the last five points to edge out Clare in a thrilling encounter at Cusack Park and qualify for the Munster MHC final against Tipperary on July 1.

Cathal O'Neill held his nerve to slot over the winning point from a '65 in injury-time after the hosts had levelled through Conor Hegarty. The Banner came flying out of the blocks to lead by 0-5 to 0-0 after 12 minutes before Danny O'Leary opened Limerick's account a minute later. That score seemed to wake the Treaty from their slumber as they added four more unanswered points in the space of seven minutes per Bob Purcell (two), Colin Coughlan and Cathal O'Neill to regain parity.

Mark Rodgers and Cormac Ryan then traded goals as Clare took a 1-8 to 1-6 lead into the break.

Antoin Power's charges scored three of the first four points of the second half to take the lead for the first time, 1-10 to 1-9, before Clare regained the initiative when Rodgers grabbed his second goal in the 38th minute. Points from Robin Mounsey and Hegarty kept the home side in the driving seat and they led by 2-16 to 1-17 as injury-time approached.

But a never-say-die Limerick finished with a flourish to reach the decider.

 

Scorers - Limerick: C O'Neill (0-7) 2 '65's, 2 f's, B Purcell (0-6),C Ryan (1-0), D O'Leary (0-2), C Coughlan (0-2), P Kirby, B O'Connor, D Hegarty E McEvoy (0-1) each. Clare: K Guyler (0-9), 3 f's, 1 '65, M Rodgers (2-1), R Mounsey (0-3), C Hegarty (0-2), W Halpin, T Butler (0-1) each.

Limerick: B Heavey, P Harnett, B Herlihy, M Keane, E O'Mahony, E McEvoy, J Nicholas, P Kirby, B O'Connor, D O'Leary, C Ryan, C O'Neill, C Coughlan, B Purcell, C Casey. Subs: D Hegarty for Casey (h/t), B Nix for O'Leary (48), M Martin for O 'Leary (70).

Clare: C O'Brien, J Enright, A Mungovan, M Gough, D Healy (Capt.) D McMahon, J Griffin, A Moriarty, G O'Grady, W Halpin, R Mounsey, K Guyler, M Rogers, S Meehan, C Hegarty. Sub: T Butler for O'Grady (41).

Ref: M Maher (Cork).

However, Limerick came flying at Clare and a pair of O'Neill scores plus a superb Emmet McEvoy score edged them ahead before Conor Hegarty drew parity once again deep into injury time.

But up stepped Cathal O'Neill as he has done throughout the last four weeks and hled his nerve to slot over a '65 to win the game and send Limerick to the final.

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