No shortage of thrills as Clare and Limerick ends level

Clare and Limerick teed up a mouthwatering Munster Championship rematch in two month's time after sharing the Shannonside derby spoils in an intense Allianz Hurling League Division 1A encounter in front of 10.016 in Cusack Park.

While fundamentally a clash to avoid Division 1 relegation danger, it soon became apparent that there was much more at stake than league points as this neighbourly tussle for supremacy saw both sides finish with 14 men.

Limerick set the pace for the opening 45 minutes albeit without any real comfort. However, once Tony Kelly regained full parity in the 49th minute, Clare would be the ones to snatch the whip hand, only to be pegged back three times by the back-to-back All-Ireland champions as the tie petered put to its fairest conclusion.

Raiding for the first three points through Aaron Gillane, Diarmaid Byrnes and Tom Morrissey by only the fourth minute, Limerick were the much more clinical side in the opening period. And while it was Tony Kelly that inevitably got the home side back on track with three of the next four points, another scoring burst from Gearoid Hegarty, Cathal O'Neill and Gillane ensured a 0-07 to 0-03 advantage for the visitors by the turn of the opening quarter.

The Banner almost received a rousing full reprieve by the 21st minute, only for a David Fitzgerald goal to be ruled out. Kelly kept up the pressure on the leaders but with Gillane’s unerring accuracy from frees, Limerick managed to maintain a two point cushion by the break at 0-11 to 0-09.

It took the impressive Diarmaid Byrnes only 12 seconds to open the second half scoring but Kelly’s influence eventually turned the tide. Robin Mounsey was unlucky to see a goal chance flash just wide of the top right corner but the