Clare's first win of a challenging league campaign centred on a better team structure and a greater tenacity to win breaking balls, according to talisman Tony Kelly.
With defeats to Kilkenny, Galway and Wexford, the Banner were rooted to the foot of 1A and desperately in need of two points away to Limerick to boost their survival hopes.
Clare now need results against Cork in Ennis next week and away to Tipperary on 22 March, and for other results to go their way, if they are to play Division 1A hurling next year.
Kelly, who finished with three points, was central to Clare’s attacking game as Brian Lohan’s side emerged victorious on a scoreline of 1-21 to 0-21, David Reidy’s second-half goal the key score of the game.
The surprise loss last time out to Wexford led to further introspection, but Kelly says they gave a much better account of themselves against their neighbours.
"It was a way better performance, the basics done better. Breaking ball, playing with that structure that we’ve had and we seemed to come away from it against Galway and Wexford and if you do that at this level you get punished.
"The pleasing thing was the performance throughout. We weren’t on top for all of it, but we were on top for enough."
