Limerick pounce on keeper's errors

Limerick 2-3 Cork 0-7

Both teams were understrength and coupled with the appalling conditions, the game, which attracted an attendance of 951 who paid €6,500, never rose above mediocrity.

It took 10 minutes for the opening score when last year's minor Michael Shields came forward to score a point. Cork's early dominance was evident as Garry Murphy and Noel O'Leary controlled the half back-line and with James Masters and Nicholas Murphy showing well in attack, the home side deservedly led 0-2 to nil after 15 minutes.

Then John Quane and Jim O'Donovan took control at midfield for Limerick and put enormous pressure on the Cork defence.

Johnny Murphy's accuracy from frees had Limerick on level terms after 25 minutes before the usually reliable Cork keeper Kevin O'Dwyer committed the first of his errors.

An attempted short pass out to wing back Noel O'Leary was intercepted by Conor Mullane and he drove home to the empty net.

A minute later O'Dwyer erred again when he was penalised for holding on to the ball too long, and Mike Reidy coolly stroked home the resultant penalty.

Those two quick goals gave Limerick a firm grip and Murphy's third point from a fee had them 2-3 to 0-2 in front at the break, Cork failing to score for 20 minutes.

The snow showers continued into the second half and both sets of players struggled to hold their feet. Cork improved greatly on the changeover and they capitalised on Limerick being reduced to 13 players for about five minutes to score three points on the trot.

But they never threatened after that, thanks to great defending by John McCarthy and Conor Mullane and with 10 minutes to go, they still trailed by four. In the few sporadic attacks Limerick mounted, the Cork defence coped well, particularly Der Duggan and Gary Murphy, while at the other end, James Masters showed his class with two excellent points to leave just two between the sides as the game drifted into injury-time. But try as they might, Cork could not find the Limerick net for the goal that might have won them the game.

Scorers: Limerick: C. Mullane, M. Reidy 1-0 each; J. Murphy 0-3 (frees). Cork: J. Masters 0-4 (0-3 frees); M. Shields, C. O'Riordan, M. O Croinin 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: S. Kiely; J. McCarthy, D. Sheehy, M. O'Riordan; C. Mullane, S. Levin, P. Browne; J. Quane, J. O'Donovan; A. Lane, P. Fitzgerald, s. Buckley; M. Reidy, J. Murphy, C. Hickey. Subs. M. O'Brien for Fitzgerald; D. Reidy for Hickey; J. O'Connell for Browne.

CORK: K. O'Dwyer; N. Geary, D. Duggan, C. O'Connor; M. Shields, G. Murphy, N. O'Leary; M. McCarthy, D. Hurley; N. Murphy., M. O Croinin, R. Brosnan; J. Masters, BG O'Sullivan, F. Gould; Subs. K. O'Sullivan for Gould; C. O'Riordan for Brosnan.

Referee: P. Russell (Tipperary).