Limerick will play Galway in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship final in two weeks’ time after coming from behind to defeat Clare in dramatic fashion this afternoon.

It finished 1-21 to 1-19 at Croke Park, where Aidan O’Connor’s goal as the game ticked into injury-time propelled the Munster champions back into the lead for the first time since the 10th minute and the Ballybrown ace would add a free before the final whistle to help seal the two-point victory.

Having opened a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage at headquarters after seven minutes, John Kiely’s side would fall behind to consecutive points by Ryan Taylor, Tony Kelly and Peter Duggan before Aaron Gillane restored parity.

The next four points went the way of the Banner men however and they’d go on to close out the half with scores via Duggan, Kelly and Mark Rodgers (two frees) to take in a deserved 0-16 to 0-11 interval lead.

A brace of Diarmaid Byrnes points (one free) would help Limerick trim their deficit back to the minimum by the 43rd minute, but Brian Lohan’s charges got motoring again with two more Rodgers frees and single by talisman Kelly.

Kelly had the sliotar in the Treaty net in the 56th minute via a penalty conceded by 'keeper Nickie Quaid, making it 1-19 to 0-16, before two O’Connor frees at the other end made it a four-point game with 10 minutes left in normal time.

More frees by Byrnes and O’Connor kept the heat on Clare and they’d eventually crack when the latter got in and smashed to their net right on the 70-minute mark.

The trailers couldn’t find an equaliser as O’Connor would raise his personal tally to 1-9 with the last score of the game, sending Limerick into their fifth Liam MacCarthy Cup decider in seven years where they'll face the Tribesmen on July 19th.

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