Substitutes Josh Ryan and Cian Magner-Flynn scored second-half goals to earn Limerick a semi-final place at the Gaelic Grounds Wednesday night.
Clare had the benefit of the strong breeze in the first half and while Ian Murray had a goal inside the opening minutes and Seán O’Loughlin added a point, once Limerick got into their stride they reeled off six points in a row.
The sides were level after 26 minutes before O’Loughlin put over two Clare points from frees and but at half-time they were still all square, Clare 1-4 Limerick 0-7.
Limerick had the first two points on resumption and there was never more than two points between them until Ryan’s goal after 53 minutes which opened a four point lead, 1-11 to 1-7.
Cian Magner-Flynn had Limerick’s second goal in stoppage time to seal the win in a wind-ruined contest.
LIMERICK: M O'Reilly; B Nash, W O'Meara, B Timmons; J Adams, C O'Connor (0-1), F Hourigan; C Nicholas, C McCarthy (0-1); K Hayes (0-1), D Carroll (0-1), B Ryan (0-2); C Boylan (0-2), A Barrett, M O'Dwyer (0-3, frees). Subs: C Magner Flynn (1-0) for Boylan (34 mins), J Ryan (1-0) for O'Dwyer (43 mins), C Flahive for Timmons (57 mins), D Woulfe for McCarthy (57 mins). CLARE: K Nugent; C McInerney, D O'Loughlin, K White; T O'Meara, C Noonan, P Mulready; R Hayes, C Tierney (0-1); S Kennedy, D Fitzgerald, G Cooney; S O'Loughlin (0-5, free), K Galvin, I Murray (1-0). Subs: A Kennedy (0-2) for Murray (40 mins), S Costelloe for McInerney (42 mins), T Connellan for Cooney (47 mins), M Danaher for Galvin (57 mins). Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
