Antrim star Liam Watson scored 16 points as Ulster champions Loughgiel qualified for their second All-Ireland Club SHC final in an extra-time classic at Parnell Park.
A memorable contest was decided by the brilliance of the Shamrocks’ star attacker, who inspired his side to a St Patrick’s Day meeting with Coolderry of Offaly.
The men from the Glen should have had their place in the decider wrapped up in normal time, but they surrendered a six-point lead to the resurgent Limerick men, who tied it up after substitute Robert Sheehan grabbed a stoppage-time goal.
In a frantic opening, Shane O’Neill’s early point was cancelled out by scores from Loughgiel’s Liam Watson and Eddie McCloskey
The sides were level on four occasions during the opening 13 minutes as David Breen and Cathal King traded points with McCloskey and Watson.
McCloskey tormented the Limerick defence with his ball-winning, vision, distribution and finishing, and everything Watson touched turned to gold as he floated over his fifth score of the afternoon to ease the Ulster champions into a three-point lead with 18 minutes on the clock.
Full forward Watson was growing in confidence with every passing minute, and slipped his marker yet again to fire over anther gem to make it 0-09 to 0-05.
Na Piarsaigh moved Kevin Downes to midfield in a bid to reverse Loughgiel dominance, and Brian Hanratty to full back to shackle the inspired Watson.
The Munster champions did have a goal chance when David Breen broke through to unleash a shot, which was brilliantly saved by DD Quinn.
But Breen did find the net in stoppage time, racing clear to fire a low shot past Quinn to the bottom corner.
The men from the Glens led by 0-11 to 1-05 at half-time, and continued to impress in the early stages of the second half, with Joey Scullion angling over a point, and Watson hitting the target again.
The accuracy of Shane Dowling kept the Limerick champions in it, but it took them 25 minutes to register their first point from play in the second half, an excellent David Breen effort.
But that was to be the spark which ignited a remarkable late fightback which saw them rescue what had appeared to be a lost cause.
Robert Sheehan came off the bench to scramble home a stoppage time goal, and there was still time for Kevin Downes, with his first score of the afternoon, to steer over a dramatic equalising point, tying it up at 0-18 to 2-12.
The Ulster men once again seized the initiative, and two more Watson efforts helped them to a two points advantage, 0-21 to 2-13, midway through added time.
And their superior fitness came to the fore, with the second segment seeing Na Piarsaigh outscored by six points to nil.
Loughgiel: D Quinn, P Gillan, N McGarry, R McCloskey, J Campbell, M Scullion, J Campbell, B McAuley, M McFadden (0-1), L Watson (0-16, 9f, 1 ’65), D Laverty (0-2), E McCloskey (0-3), B McCarry (0-2), J Scullion (0-3), S Casey.
Subs: D McCloskey for Laverty, T McCloskey for McFadden, D Laverty for Casey
Na Piarsaigh: P Kennedy, D Lynch, K Breen, K Bermingham, A Dempsey, J O’Brien, B Hartnett, C King (0-1), P Gleeson (0-1), S Dowling (0-6, 4f, 2 ’65), D Breen (1-2), S O’Neill (0-1), K Kennedy, K Downes (0-1), K Ryan.
Subs: A Breen (0-1), K Breen, J Madden for Gleeson, R Sheehan (1-0) for O’Neill
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
