Munster SHC round 4
Limerick 2-29 Waterford 2-20
Tipperary 0-17 Clare 1-25
Limerick and Clare booked their qualification for the All-Ireland Series as Tipperary and Waterford bowed out with heavy defeats.
All-Ireland champions Tipp were left hanging onto the hope that Waterford would spring a shock in front of 22,225 fans at TUS Gaelic Grounds to keep their title defence alive.
They were in with a shout as the Déise led until the 61st minute, upon which Peter Casey and Gearóid Hegarty lashed in two goals in the space of a minute. They closed with 2-8 without reply until a last-puck Shane Bennett penalty for a nine-point win.
If Limerick beat Tipp next weekend, they will book a Munster final against either Cork or Clare at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
In that scenario, Clare would need to defeat the Rebels by four points to pip Ben O’Connor’s men.
With Limerick playing into the wind, Cathal O’Neill was the highest scorer by the break, racking up 0-5.
From the 15th to 29th minutes, Waterford had the upper hand to the tune of 0-10 to 0-1. Calum Lyons had four points and wing-back Bennett nailed three each from play and frees for 0-15 to 0-10.
By then, Cian Lynch was warming up and he made a fast impact with a point and a hand in scores for O’Neill and Shane O’Brien. They levelled with five in a row, but Bennett’s sixth, followed by his goalline save from Aidan O’Connor, left the Déise 0-16 to 0-15 ahead at the change of ends.
An O’Connor trio nudged Limerick into their first lead in half an hour. In the 52nd minute, Waterford jumped back ahead. Kevin Mahony got in behind Mike Casey to collect Dessie Hutchinson’s delivery and bat past Nickie Quaid.
They were still two ahead with 11 minutes to play after an Austin Gleeson sideline cut.
Having withdrawn Aaron Gillane, who was held scoreless by Paddy Leavey, and switched Hegarty into the full-forward line, Limerick drilled 2-8 without reply.
Hegarty mopped up an errant Mark Fitzgerald clearance and fed Peter Casey, who dropped the sliotar but managed to kick into an empty net.
Then, O’Connor raced through and though his pass was misplaced, it was deflected into Hegarty’s path by Fitzgerald’s despairing flick. The wing-forward’s mishit finish looped over Billy Nolan.
On Saturday night, starring performances from full debutant Diarmuid Stritch (0-6) and veteran John Conlon helped Clare to a record 1-25 to 0-17 victory over Tipp before 32,327 fans at FBD Semple Stadium.
The hosts ended with 14 men after Willie Connors picked up a second booking in the 51st minute.
Playing with the wind, Clare outscored Tipp by 0-10 to 0-1 from the 20th to 35th minutes to lead 0-14 to 0-8 at the break.
The Banner goaled within seconds of the restart as substitute Ian Galvin gobbled up the break from Ryan Taylor’s long ball and batted past the keeper.
Tipp’s best chance of a revival came and went in the 41st minute. John McGrath’s groundstroke was brilliantly saved by Éibhear Quilligan and Oisín O’Donoghue’s rebound clanked off the near post and wide.