Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-13

By Eoin Brennan at Gaelic Grounds

Clare secured their third consecutive Championship derby victory over Limerick to return to the last four in Munster in front of an attendance of 3,343 at the Gaelic Grounds.

The Allianz Football League Division Three winners eventually held off the stubborn challenge of their hosts to secure a semi-final spot away to Kerry in a fortnight’s time.

It was far from the intensity and flair of their recent Croke Park title victory though as the dead heat of the Gaelic Grounds produced a dour opening before finally sparking to life in a seesaw second half.

Clare’s 0-5 to 0-4 interval advantage masked a low key half in which the sides shared 14 wides, eight of which crucially came from the hosts who started in impressive fashion but found it difficult to turn their superiority into scores.

With captain Ian Ryan unerring from frees, the home side did open up a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage by the 15th minute, but that was as good as it got for Limerick as Clare finally cranked into gear with four of the last five points of the half including an inspirational effort from substitute Podge Collins to edge his side in front.

Clare maintained that form for the new half, with the opening two points through Keelan Sexton and Eoin Cleary to push three clear.

Despite the best efforts of Ryan who kicked five frees to keep his side in touch, the Banner County displayed the better balance with seven different second half scorers including three points from Jamie Malone to return to the Munster semi-final for the fifth successive season.

**Scorers for Clare: **D Tubridy 0-3 (2f), J Malone 0-3, K Sexton 0-2, P Collins 0-2, E Cleary 0-2, C O’Connor 0-1, S Collins 0-1, S McGrath 0-1, G Brennan 0-1

Scorers for Limerick: I Ryan 0-8 (7f), D Neville 0-2 (1f), C Sheehan 0-1, S Buckley 0-1, S Cahill 0-1.

Clare: J Hayes; D Ryan, K Harnett, M McMahon; S Collins, G Kelly, C O’Dea; G Brennan, C O’Connor; P Lillis, J Malone, E Cleary; K Sexton, D Tubridy, P Burke

Subs: P Collins for O’Connor (33 mins, inj), 17. S McGrath for Lillis (48 mins), S Malone for Kelly (50 mins, Black Card), S Hickey for O’Dea (57 mins), E Coughlan for Burke (57 mins)

Limerick: D O'Sullivan; J McCarthy, P Browne, S Cahill; B Fanning, S O’Dea, P White; C Sheehan, D Treacy; G Noonan, I Ryan, S Buckley; S McSweeney, D Neville, P Nash

Subs: E Hogan for McSweeney (29 mins), K Ryan for Noonan (56 mins), P Hannon for Fanning (59 mins), H Bourke for Hogan (63 mins), C Fahy for White (72 mins).

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).