Limerick CBS could afford the luxury of shooting 20 wides and still emerge victorious over Colaiste Chriost Ri in this exciting Dr Harty Cup semi-final at Buttevant yesterday.

Aided by a near-gale force wind in the first half, the Limerick players wasted little time in stamping their authority on the game - a goal after three minutes by Pat McCarthy got them off to the perfect start.

With Chriost Ri struggling to cope with the elements and the pace of the lively Limerick forwards, the winners struck for a second goal through the highly-impressive Kevin Tobin.

Hurling with supreme confidence against a side that went into the game with a big reputation, Limerick deservedly lead 2-6 to 0-4 at halftime, all the Chriost Ri scores coming from Cathal McCarthy.

The Cork side used the elements well on the changeover and had the deficit down to three points inside nine minutes, with five unanswered points, four of them from McCarthy.

It was the Limerick side's turn to soak up the pressure; but when Edward Byrne got through for a Chriost Ri goal in the 48th minute, it threw the game wide open.

Maintaining the pressure, Chriost Ri struck for a second goal six minutes later to take the lead for the first time in the match.

But the Limerick side weren't to be denied and they weathered the Chriost Ri storm to finish with points from Michael Cahill and Sean O'Connor and book their place in this year's final.

LIMERICK: G O'Connell; B Cahill, J Fitzgerald, D Fitzgerald; M Byrnes, P Enright, W Walsh (0-1); C Godfrey (0-1), K Holmes; M Cahill (0-2), S O'Connor (0-2), J Shanahan; P McCarthy (1-1), D Burke, K Tobin (1-4).

COLAISTE CHRIOST RI: J Kelly; D Dineen, V Deely, J Browne; S Fuller, P O'Brien, R Murphy; B Murphy, E P O'Callaghan; C McCarthy (0-8), A Fitzpatrick, R O'Dwyer; E Byrne (1-1), W Cummins, R McCarthy (1-1).

Referee: J Ryan (Cashel).