Limerick avoid rout but Rebels in easy march

NOT quite the ritual disembowelling that many had anticipated, but Cork still had 13 points to spare over Limerick in the Munster SHC semi-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

The right ingredients – brilliant sunshine, a beautiful playing surface – didn’t entice the punters after a winter and spring of discontent in Limerick, and a paltry crowd of 13,638 made their way down the Marina.

For their money they saw a reasonable contest early on. Limerick got on the scoreboard first, and led until the seventh minute through Paudie McNamara and Andrew Brennan points, but Patrick Horgan and Jerry O’Connor pulled Cork level.