Limerick are the first team to exit the 2014 Munster MFC after suffering a 2-17 to 3-7 defeat to Clare at Newcastlewest tonight.

The losers fired three second-half goals but the match was long since over as a meaningful contest as they trailed by seventeen points coming up to the midway stage in the second half.

These two teams found themselves in the losers' section having both lost their competition openers last Wednesday night, when Clare were crushed by Kerry (2-16 to 0-7) and Limerick suffered an even heavier defeat at the hands of Cork (6-15 to 1-7).

Playing with the aid of a stiff breeze, the visitors totally dominated in the first half as they roared into a commanding 1-13 to 0-2 interval lead.

All six Banner County forwards scored during that opening period, with Liam Madigan firing the goal shortly before the break.

Keelan Sexton clipped over the opening point inside the first minute and - even though the Treaty County quickly equalised - a run of seven successive scores left the winners in complete control after 20 minutes - 0-8 to 0-1.

Dominant around the middle of the field, Clare kept coming at their opponents in waves and it was only a matter of time before the Limerick goal was breached. The three-pointer duly arrived when Madigan finished to the net after some superb play from centre forward Eimhin Courtney.

Trailing by 14 points at the turnaround, the hosts would have wind advantage upon the restart. But any lingering hopes of a dramatic fightback were immediately quelled when Aidan Davidson slotted a second Clare goal within 30 seconds of the resumption.

Limerick had doubled their tally by the 42nd minute but now trailed by 17 points, 2-15 to 0-4. To their credit, the losers never gave up, enjoying a bit of a purple patch in the second half as they registered 1-5 without reply.

Visiting goalkeeper Killian Normoyle saved a penalty but he was powerless to prevent Limerick adding their second and third goals before the 60 minutes were up. In the end, though, the home side's second-half surge was largely irrelevant as Clare won with plenty to spare.

Despite their spirited rally, Limerick exit the competition while Clare progress to face Waterford in Dungarvan next Tuesday night, with the winners of that one meeting Cork at the semi-final stage.

Clare - K Morrissey; L Tierney, P Lillis, C Downes; K O'Dea, B Cahill, C Pyne; C O'Hannifin (0-2), J Woods; M Byrne, K Sexton (0-3), N McCarthy (0-1); A Davidson (1-3), E Courtney (0-5), L Madigan (1-3). Subs: E Howard for C O'Hannifin, C Fitzgibbon for A Davidson, B O'Connor for N McCarthy.

Limerick - A Brudair; S Murphy (1-0), M Reidy, F O'Grady; S Ivess, C Flanagan, K Ryan; T Childs (1-0), D Noonan; M Morrissey (0-4), R Hayes (1-0), K Daly (0-1); S Stack (0-1), C Burke (0-1), G McCarthy. Subs: S Brosnan for F O'Grady, D Mackin for G McCarthy, B Stack for C Flanagan.

Referee - A Kissane. Tweet

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