Clare and Limerick will do it all again in three weeks after thrilling draw

This sharing of points, coupled with the result in Waterford, means Limerick and Clare cannot be dislodged from the head of the round-robin table and so will contest the Munster final on June 5

15 May 2022; Gearóid Hegarty of Limerick wins possession ahead of David McInerney of Clare during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 4 match between Clare and Limerick at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Clare 0-24 Limerick 1-21

Stalemate in Ennis, Diarmuid Byrnes’ 73rd minute free saving Limerick from a first championship defeat in three years.

This sharing of points, coupled with the result in Waterford, means Limerick and Clare cannot be dislodged from the head of the round-robin table and so will contest the Munster final in three weeks' time on June 5.

And as dress rehearsals go, this was fairly riveting fare, particularly the last quarter of an hour when the sides matched each other stride for stride and score for score.

Proceedings were tied at 1-19 to 0-22 when Gearoid Hegarty received his latest red card, the half-forward, who had contributed four points prior to his dismissal, picking up a second yellow card for a challenge on Paul Flanagan.

Diarmuid Byrnes, though, saw to it himself that Clare got no immediate bounce from their numerical advantage as he made a superb catch in the ensuing play, charged down the field, before offloading to sub Darragh O’Donovan who edged the All-Ireland champions ahead.

Shane Meehan restored parity on 68 minutes, with a Ryan Taylor white flag shortly after swinging the lead in favour of the hosts as the clock spilled into the red.

A John Conlon foul on his opposite number six Declan Hannon presented Limerick with an opportunity to equalise in the third and final minute of injury-time, Byrnes, as he had done all afternoon, proving equal to the task.

A high-octane first half ended all square, all bar 0-3 of Clare’s 0-15 total coming from the stick of Tony Kelly.

Having started at right corner-forward, the roving assassin proceeded to pop up all over the Cusack Park pitch as he pushed the visitors to the edge of torment from both open play and the placed-ball.

His first half scorecard consisted of seven frees, four from play, and one ‘65. Over half of those seven frees were struck well inside the Clare half of the field, including three-in-a-row between the 25th and 27th minute.

This trio of converted placed-ball efforts swept the Banner into a three-point 0-13 to 1-7 advantage, the largest their lead stood at at any point in the first half.

But if Kelly was showing himself to be razor sharp each time he stood over the yellow sliotar, Diarmuid Byrnes was doing likewise for the men in green. The half-back clipped four first half frees, as well as hitting a ‘65 and one from play.

Limerick made three late changes to their starting line-up as Robbie Hanley, Conor Boylan, and David Reidy came in for Darragh O’Donovan, Aaron Gillane, and Graeme Mulcahy. 

They bagged a 15th minute goal through Kyle Hayes to cancel out a Clare three-in-a-row and go two back in front (1-5 to 0-6), but no lift did Limerick derive from the strike as Tony Kelly (0-2), midfielder David Fitzgerald, and Diarmuid Ryan reeled off the game’s next four scores to edge two ahead..

Limerick twice returned in front late in the half, but Kelly’s accuracy meant matters were deadlocked at the break.

In total, the sides were level on 13 occasions.

Scorers for Clare: T Kelly (0-16, 0-10 frees, 0-1 ‘65); D Ryan, D Fitzgerald, R Taylor (0-2 each); D McInerney, S Meehan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: D Byrnes (0-9, 0-7 frees); D Reidy (0-4 frees), G Hegarty (0-4 each); K Hayes (1-0); D O’Donovan, T Morrissey, S Flanagan, O O’Reilly (0-1 each).

Clare: E Quilligan; R Hayes, C Cleary, P Flanagan; D Ryan, J Conlon, D McInerney; C Malone, J McCarthy; D Fitzgerald, S O’Donnell, R Taylor; T Kelly, P Duggan, R Mounsey.

Subs: A Fitzgerald for Ryan (temporary 16-17); S Meehan for McCarthy (HT); D Reidy for Mounsey (46); A Fitzgerald for Flanagan (temporary, 60-65); A Shanagher for Duggan (73).

Limerick: N Quaid; S Finn, M Casey, B Nash; D Byrnes, D Hannon, D Morrissey; W O’Donoghue, R Hanley; G Hegarty, D Reidy, T Morrissey; C Boylan, K Hayes, S Flanagan.

Subs: R English for Casey (temporary, 43-45); G Mulcahy for Boylan (53); D O’Donovan for Hanley, O O’Reilly for Flanagan (both 57).

Referee: C Lyons (Cork).