Tipperary have maintained their perfect Championship run after seeing off All-Ireland champions Limerick in Thurles.
However, despite the outcome, the two counties will contest the Munster final on June 30 after Clare beat Cork in Ennis.
The final table in Munster sees Tipperary on top with eight points while Limerick, Cork and Clare follow on four each with scoring difference meaning that Cork head for an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final with Clare eliminated from the Championship altogether.
Limerick had the better of the early exchanges and moved into a two-point lead by the sixth minute though Tipperary settled and hit five without reply before Seamus Flanagan missed an opportunity to bring the sides level as Brian Hogan blocked his goal effort.
Although Limerick closed to within a point with a fine individual effort from Diarmaid Byrnes in the 22nd minute, Tipp held a buffer for the majority of the first half and, with seven different players among the scorers, were five points clear before Aaron Gillane slotted his fifth free of the day to leave it 0-12 to 0-8 at half-time.
The quality of the spectacle was compromised by a heavy downpour in the first half, which lasted over 40 minutes largely due to stoppages for treatment to Tipp pair Cathal Barrett and Patrick Maher, the latter’s ailment particularly worrying as it appeared to concern his left knee.
Limerick quickly cut the gap to two on the resumption though the game’s turning point came with Seamus Callanan’s 38th minute goal as he wheeled around Richie English before lashing past Nickie Quaid.
From there, Tipperary were never seriously troubled with Limerick closing to three points briefly on one occasion and from the 50th minute to the 68th the sides traded scores one at a time as Tipp’s lead fluctuated between five and four points before they pulled six clear with a brilliant John O’Dwyer score with two minutes remaining.
Limerick craved a goal to really drag themselves back into the contest but the closest they came was an effort from sub Pat Ryan that was comfortably saved by Hogan as Tipp completed a fine round robin campaign with a fourth win from four.
TIPPERARY: B Hogan; S O’Brien, J Barry, C Barrett; B Maher (0-1), Padraic Maher (0-2), R Maher; M Breen (0-1), N McGrath (0-2, 0-1f); J Forde (0-8, 0-4f, 0-2 sideline), J O’Dwyer (0-1), Patrick Maher; J McGrath (0-2), S Callanan (1-4), J Morris (0-1).
Subs: A Flynn for Barrett (32), D McCormack for Patrick Maher (35+3), R Byrne for Breen (47), M Kehoe for Morris (62), W Connors for J McGrath (68).
LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Finn, M Casey, R English; D Byrnes (0-3, 0-2 ‘65’), D Morrissey, P O’Loughlin; D O’Donovan, W O’Donoghue; S Dowling (0-1), K Hayes, T Morrissey (0-3); A Gillane (0-12, 0-10f), S Flanagan, P Casey.
Subs: G Mulcahy (0-1) for Flanagan (HT), C Boylan for Dowling (43), P Ryan for P Casey (52), C Lynch (0-1) for O’Donoghue (56), D Reidy for Hayes (64).
REFEREE: S Cleere (Kilkenny).
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