Browne's late point clinches it for Cork

Cork 0-15 Limerick 0-14

Over the last three years, as his U-21 charges swept to three All-Ireland titles in succession, Limerick managed on a couple of occasions to gain last-gasp wins over Cork. Yesterday, that pendulum swung the way of the home side with injury-time points from second-half sub Gerry O'Connor and first-year captain Alan Browne tipping the balance in Cork's favour, when Limerick looked likely to win.

The opening half was especially torrid, referee Michael Wadding (not his most impressive display) flashing yellow on four occasions when it could well have been much more. The two sides tore into each other with championship-like intensity and, with space at a premium, scores were slow in coming.

Both had notched three points after 26 minutes, Cork's coming from Timmy McCarthy, Eoin Fitzgerald and Derek Barrett, the most impressive of the four midfielders through this period, while Limerick replied with a James Moran brace, and one from 17-year-old debutant Patrick Kirby.

It was dour, it was scrappy, and it was scrap-happy.

One running battle that epitomised it all was that between Cork captain Alan Browne and tough Limerick corner-back Steve McDonagh. Nevertheless, it all detracted from the game which, in terms of hurling, left much to be desired. A very sandy pitch that was also prone to cutting up easily made things difficult, but the fact that, according to both managers, neither side has done much ball work to date was very evident.

Still, for all the errors, all the rucks and mauls, what the game lacked in fluidity, it made up for in commitment from both sides.

Limerick went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-5, courtesy of frees from Mark Keane, James Moran and classy wing-back Eoin Foley, along with a point from distance by centre-forward Mike O'Brien. Browne and John Gardiner had Cork's replies.

With that strong wind to favour Cork in the second half, that lead looked precarious and, when the Leesiders opened the second half with five unanswered points to take a three point lead, it looked bad for the visitors.

The flying Ben O'Connor got the first, a subdued Joe Deane chipped in with two frees, Alan Browne, getting the better of his battle with McDonagh, added another, while wing-forward Niall McCarthy got the first of two in an improved second-half performance.

There's guts aplenty in this Limerick side, however, and with a couple of heavy showers having killed the wind somewhat, they fought their way back to parity with just three minutes of normal time remaining.

Central to that comeback was their improved play in the diamond area, centre-back Ollie Moran getting more to grips with the previously flying Timmy McCarthy. Midfielders Stephen Lucey and Peter Lawlor began to win a bit more ball, while the move of TJ Ryan from full-forward, where he had been seriously troubling Diarmuid O'Sullivan, to centre-forward on the hitherto rampant Ronan Curran (my man-of-the-match), also worked out. Time for the Cork sideline to show its worth and, though Derek Barrett can count himself unfortunate to have been taken off, his replacement Gerry O'Connor injected a bit of extra pace to that area and it paid off the new comer bursting through to score the lead point in the second minute of injury time.

Jason Barrett was also introduced to midfield, and looked sharp, but fittingly enough, it was captain Browne with the final say, a point drilled from an acute angle.

Donal O'Grady however, wasn't getting carried away by the league opener: "I'd prefer to look at it from a team viewpoint; whether one fella has a blinder, another doesn't, doesn't make a difference. Individual performances are fine for the individuals concerned, but I look at it from the team aspect, the full squad, and I'm satisfied enough."

Scorers Cork: A. Browne 0-3; J. Deane 0-3 (all frees); N. McCarthy 0-2; J. Gardiner 0-2 (65's); D. Barrett, T. McCarthy, E. Fitzgerald (free), B. O'Connor, G. O'Connor, 0-1 each.

Limerick: J. Moran 0-3 (0-1 free); E. Foley 0-3 (free, 65 and sideline); J. Meskell 0-3 (all frees); P. Kirby 0-2 (0-1 free); M. Keane 0-1 (free); M. O'Brien, D. Sheehan, 0-1 each.

CORK: D. Og Cusack; W. Sherlock, D. O'Sullivan, C. O'Connor; Sean Og O hAilpin, Ronan Curran, J. Gardiner; D. Barrett, M. O'Connell; N. McCarthy, T. McCarthy, E. Fitzgerald; B. O'Connor, J. Deane, A. Browne. Subs: G. O'Connor (Barrett 54); S. McGrath (Fitzgerald 55); J. Barrett (O'Connell 68).

LIMERICK: T. Houlihan; S. McDonagh, E. Mulcahy, D. Reale; E. Foley, O. Moran, M. Foley (c); P. Lawlor, S. Lucey; J. Moran, M. O'Brien, N. Moran; P. Kirby, TJ Ryan, M. Keane. Subs: D. Sheehan (Keane 31); J. O'Brien (O'Brien 35); J. Meskell (N. Moran 54); B. Foley (Kirby 70).

Referee: M. Wadding (Waterford).