The Republican forces in the city under Liam Deasy withdrew from their positions after a week's fighting and concentrated in Kilmallock and the nearby towns of Bruff and Bruree.

The Free State forces, advancing south from the city, found their path blocked by the Republicans dug in at the three hilltop towns.

The National Army's attempt to break through this position produced the only 'line battle' of the war with the two sides facing each other along clear front-lines.

Whereas in the fighting in Dublin, Limerick and Waterford, Free State troops equipped with artillery overcame Anti-Treaty resistance relatively easily, at Kilmallock they had a much harder time.

On Sunday 23 July, Free State forces took Bruff and began their advance on Kilmallock, but were twice beaten back by determined Republican resistance.

The Republican commander, Deasy, knew how important Bruree was to the defence of Kilmallock and drew up plans to recapture the town using three armoured cars, trench mortars and machine guns.

The second armoured car rammed the front door of another post in the school house, which persuaded the twenty-five troops inside to surrender.

Having held Bruree against a Republican counterattack, Free State forces prepared to capture Kilmallock itself, but anticipated there would be heavy fighting.

[2] In 3rd Western Division area they had all but disbanded: unwilling to fight Free Staters, destroy roads, and now discouraged by the Catholic church.

[3] On Thursday, 3 August, a force of 2,000 Free State troops, backed up by armoured cars and artillery, advanced on Kilmallock from Bruree, Dromin and Bulgaden.

[citation needed] To their surprise, when the Free State troops entered town, they encountered only light resistance from a Republican rearguard (volunteers from Cork).

[citation needed] The final phase of the fighting in County Limerick came when the Free State advance south was held up at Newcastlewest.

Another day of heavy fighting ensued in which the National Army troops had to bring up armoured cars and artillery to dislodge the Republicans, who were reported to have lost up to 12 men before they retreated in the direction of Cork.