Clare will meet holders Kerry next month after securing a 0-16 to 0-13 victory over Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.

Having won the national football league Division Three title at Croke Park in April, Clare went into the game as favourites against a Treaty County side that failed to raise a gallop in the same division. Without ever setting the world on fire, they justified their billing with a comfortable if unspectacular defeat of a Limerick combination that tried hard but never looked like causing an upset.

Substitute Podge Collins' injury-time point ensured the Banner County of the narrowest of interval advantages, 0-5 to 0-4, with 3,343 looking on. David Tubridy had brought the visitors level a minute earlier, after the Treaty County made a determined and impressive start to the game.

The hosts kicked three of the first four points of the afternoon courtesy of Ian Ryan (2) and Cian Sheehan to lead by two at the end of the first quarter, with Cathal O'Connor Clare's sole scorer during that period. Keelan Sexton and Sean Collins had the winners level by the 22^nd minute as they finally got to grips somewhat with Limerick's rearguard action; Seanie Buckley edged Limerick back in front for the last time just shy of the half-hour mark.

Those late strikes from Tubridy (free) and Podge Collins had the Division Three winners ahead by the odd point from nine at the short whistle.

Sexton and Eoin Cleary increased the gap to three points within as many minutes of the restart but the Treaty hit back with a couple of Ryan frees (either side of a Tubridy conversion) and a brilliant Danny Neville free before Jamie Malone made it 0-9 to 0-7 with 13 minutes played in the second half. An exchange of points ensured that there were still two between the teams going into the last 15 minutes…

Gary Brennan's effort was cancelled out by Stephen Cahill and Tubridy fired over the winners' next point on the hour to leave three in it approaching the home straight, 0-12 to 0-9. Ryan replied three times to points from Malone, Podge Collins and Cleary.

A late exchange between Neville and Malone closed out the scoring as Colm Collins' men - who had nine different scorers today - eased into the last four in the province.

Clare - J Hayes; D Ryan, K Harnett, M McMahon; S Collins (0-1), G Kelly, C O'Dea; G Brennan (0-1), C O'Connor (0-1); P Lillis, J Malone (0-3), E Cleary (0-2); K Sexton (0-2), D Tubridy (0-3, 2f), P Burke. Subs: P Collins (0-2) for C O'Connor, S McGrath (0-1) for P Lillis, S Malone for G Kelly (BC), S Hickey for C O'Dea, E Coughlan for P Burke.

Limerick - D O'Sullivan; J McCarthy, P Browne, S Cahill (0-1); B Fanning, S O'Dea, P White; C Sheehan (0-1), D Treacy; G Noonan, I Ryan (0-8, 7f), S Buckley (0-1); S McSweeney, D Neville (0-2, 1f), P Nash. Subs: E Hogan for S McSweeney, K Ryan for G Noonan, P Hannon for B Fanning, H Bourke for E Hogan, C Fahy for P White.

Referee - P Neilan.

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