WATCH | Clare secure valuable draw with Limerick following late flurry in Munster U20 Championship

English gave Limerick their first lead as the opening half drew to a close, collecting a dropped Con Hayes shot over his man before turning and firing to the net.

There was nothing to separate Limerick and Clare after an exciting Munster U20 Hurling Championship second-round encounter in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Leading by three heading into injury time, a Sean Rynne brace dragged Clare level at 1-19 apiece with the final puck of the game with both sides remaining unbeaten heading into the break.

Adam English’s goal was the difference at the half as his 27th minute strike had Limerick 1-9 to 0-9 to the good at the interval in a half where the Treaty had eight wides to the Banner’s five.

Keith Smyth, who was Clare’s go-to man in the opening half opened the scoring with a brace before David Kennedy made it 0-3 to no score inside six minutes. Paddy O’Donovan got Limerick off the mark in the seventh with Adam Fitzgerald adding to it.

Smyth hit back before Sean Rynne pushed them three in front. Fintan Fitzgerald and Ethan Hurley had replies for Limerick but another Smyth double extended Clare’s advantage after 21.

Despite all the wides, Joe Fitzgerald and O’Donovan reduced the gap to 0-6 to 0-7. Hurley then levelled to bring the teams equal for the first time since the second minute.

English then gave Limerick their first lead, collecting a dropped Con Hayes shot over his man before turning and firing to the net. The Doon man stretched out the lead immediately after but Clare ended the half with a pair to leave just the goal in it.

Limerick were sloppy to start the second half and could have been level only for a super save from Josh O’Reilly on Patrick Crotty. He was powerless to stop the same man a minute later to bring the game to 1-11 apiece.

Shane O’Brien briefly had Limerick back in front but Crotty replied. The Scariff man then restored the Banner’s advantage. Half-time substitute Colm Cleary made it 1-12 to 1-14 after 43. But a superb brace from O’Donovan again drew the teams level.

O’Donovan and Jack O’Neill traded scores as the clock ticked into the final ten minutes. O’Donovan showed unerring accuracy to take his tally into double digits and restore a two-point lead for Limerick.

O’Donovan had Limerick three clear before O’Neill got his second for Clare. An excellent English run saw him fouled with O’Donovan moving onto 12 with the resultant free.

Rynne and Cleary brought Clare to within a point with a minute to play before the former ensured parity with a fine score out on the wing.

Scorers for Limerick: Patrick O’Donovan (0-12, 6frees,1 ’65), Adam English (1-1), Ethan Hurley (0-2), Shane O’Brien, Joe Fitzgerald, Adam Fitzgerald, Fintan Fitzgerald (0-1)

LIMERICK: Josh O’Reilly; Ronan Lyons, John Fitzgerald, Evan O’Leary; David Fitzgerald, Cian Scully, Ethan Hurley; Joseph Fitzgerald, Adam English; Fintan Fitzgerald, Patrick O’Donovan, John Kirby; Con Hayes, Adam Fitzgerald, Shane O’Brien.

Subs Used: Liam Lynch for Hayes (29), Barry Duff for A Fitzgerald (HT), Jack Molloy for John Fitzgerald (45), Liam Dennehy for F Fitzgerald (48), Sean O’Neill for Kirby (58)

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