Limerick are through to the Semi Final of the Munster Senior Football Championship, after a 4-1 penalty win over Clare in Cusack Park.

The teams were tied 1-19 to 2-16 at the end of extra time, Eoin Cleary managing to tie the game late with a free, but it was the Treaty who advance to back to back Semi Finals, their first win in Ennis for 13 years.

A tough hard fought game that went down to the wire, Clare felt they had it won in normal time, Limerick felt it was their game in Extra Time, but penalties a cruel mistress for the Banner, Limerick super sub Robbie Bourke a huge influence late on with 1-2.

The opening round of the Munster Senior Football Championship, looked like a heavyweight boxing match in the opening half at Ennis, both teams swinging blow for blow on the scoreboard, as Limerick held firm to lead 1-8 to 1-6 at half time, Josy Ryan continuing to a crucial scorer for Limerick, 0-4 in the first half, with three coming from, frees.

By the teeth minute mark Clare had a narrow 0-4 to 0-2 lead as they gained a slight margin in the tie, however by the 18th minute mark Limerick levelled Cillian Fahy having the white flag raised with a point.

The Treaty County hit a purple patch after the point, within 10 minutes they amassed a 1-7 to 0-5 lead, Ryan and Brian Donovan hit points before Brian Fanning hit the net with an amazing run from his own 65, resulting in the full back burying a shot into the net.

Clare hit back after 33 minutes, having had an Aaron Griffin point cancelled out, they were awarded a penalty with Michael Donovan the guilty part for Limerick, David Tubridy stepped up and hit the net for Clare ending a 13 minute scoreless run, they still trailed 1-8 to 1-6 but Ryan would have the final say making it a three point lead at Half Time for Limerick.

The second half was similar to the opener, Clare fought back to draw level late in the half, but it was hard to separate these two teams, late drama in injury time saw both teams score to bring the game to extra time.

Ryan again started strong with two points in the opening ten minutes of the second half, as O’Neill and Pearse Lillis notched for the Banner. Cleary and Peter Nash exchanged points as very little was separating the teams, as Limerick remained ahead by three.

Griffin and Emmet McMahon got two back to back scores, before Fahy made it 1-13 to 1-11. Gavin Cooney and Brendan Rouine managed to get the Clare outfit level on 64 minutes, both teams looking for the later winner.

Deep into injury time we had more drama as Jamie Malone pointed in the fourth minute of injury time, but two minutes later Bourke landed a monster free to level the tie late for Limerick.

Cleary kicked three further points into Extra Time, as it looked like they were comfortable Bourke first kicked another long range free, before rattling the Clare net with a goal just before the break, as Limerick were ahead by the minimum 2-15 to 1-17.

Tired bodies dragged their way through the second half, Nash made it a two point lead after the restart, but Rouine and Cleary levelled for Clare, in the 91st minute it was Cleary who scored a crucial free to level the tie, and we had penalties, what a game of football this was.

Ian Corbett dispatched the first spot kick, but Cian O’Dea blazed his over the crossbar a blow early for Clare, it would be 2-0 with Bourke scoring and another miss from Clare left them with work to do.

Brian Donovan made it 3-0, before Joe McGann found the net to keep Clare in the tie, but it all came down to James Naughton, he fired the ball into the net as Limerick were perfect from the spot to see them advance.