A clinical first-half display from Clare saw them have too much for Limerick in a Shannonside derby in Rathkeale.
Despite a second half revival from the basement boys, the Banner finished strongly to claim a fourth win from five outings in Division Three.
Mark Fitzgerald is continuing to put his stamp on Clare football and this victory may be the sweetest of all, after he was overlooked for the Limerick managers post having taken interim charge during last season.
The turmoil continues for Jimmy Lee, who replaced his keeper Aaron O'Sullivan with debut stopper Jack English, in the dying embers of the opening half.
The crisis in Limerick football is very real. They’ve not won a league game since round seven in 2022, with just one draw in 13 outings.Clare’s promotion push is certainly alive and well, and wins over Antrim and Down in the coming weeks will see them bounce back to the second tier at the first attempt.
Despite all the off the field turmoil during the off-season for both, it seems Clare have emerged with a spring in their step. They were led by the highly influential Emmet McMahon whose four first half points saw them 1-11 to 0-05 ahead at the interval.
Limerick were living off scraps and had points from Jamie Baynham and Robbie Childs from their limited openings. All too often it was the Clare men who forced turnovers, won breaks and opened up a disorganised looking Treaty rearguard.
Their goal, on 21 minutes was when they were rampant. It arrived on a backdoor cut which saw Brian McNamara glide in from the left wing and power to the net.
It was during a 13 minute period where Fitzgerald’s men would score 1-5 to just a point, pulling almost out of sight.
Lee roused his charges at half-time and two points in the opening thirty seconds got them moving – Baynham and Naughton on target as they finally got a squeeze on the Clare kickout. The closest they would get to was a goal – 1-13 to 0-13, after a profitable 20 minutes.
However, the visitors finished much the stronger and a run of four points in the final ten minutes sealed the two points.
Aaron Griffin finished two of those while Manus Doherty was also on target for the winners late on.Limerick need wins away to Wicklow and Offaly to avoid consecutive relegations.
Limerick: Aaron O'Sullivan; Jim Liston, Seán O'Dea, Colm McSweeney; Barry Coleman (0-03), Iain Corbett (Capt) Cillian Fahy (0-01); Tommie Childs, Emmet Rigter; Robbie Childs (0-01), Cathal Downes (0-01), Paul Maher; Jamie Baynham (0-03), James Naughton (0-04, 2f), Peter Nash.
Subs: Jack English for O’Sullivan (33); Eoin Hurley for Nash (59); Tommy Griffin for Rigter (60); Joe Sweeney for R Childs (69); Daniel Daly (0-1) for Baynham (69) Shane Costelloe for Maher (70).
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty (0-02), Ronan Lanigan, Michael Garry; Ikem Ugweru, Alan Sweeney, Daniel Walsh (0-2); Gavin Murray, Brian McNamara (1-00); Dermot Coughlan (0-01), Cormac Murray (0-02), Ciaran Downes (0-01); Emmet McMahon (0-04, 1f), Aaron Griffin (0-04), Joe McGann.
Subs: Darren Nagle for Ugweru (half-time); Jamie Stack for McGann (54); Cormac Murray for McDonald (69); Mark McInerney for Coughlan (70).Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan)
