Cork 1-17 Limerick 2-25: All-Ireland champions power their way past hesitant Cork

Limerick claim 2-16 off Cork turnovers at Pairc Ui Chaoimh as they outwork, outhurl and outmuscle their hosts

NO WAY THROUGH: Limerick's Darragh O'Donovan denies Cork's Ciarán Joyce any forward momentum at Páirc Ui Chaoimh

Munster SHC rd 1: Cork 1-17 Limerick 2-25

All-Ireland champions Limerick’s 10th consecutive championship victory was secured with consummate ease in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

Undermining their poor league form as they did last season, Limerick led by 2-9 to 1-8 at half-time having faced the breeze and easily withstood an early second-half rally by Cork.

Cork squared the game three minutes after the break but Limerick struck back with five points on the trot. The difference was seven points when captain Declan Hannon, seconds after winning a converted free, sent over a 52nd point. In additional time, substitute Cathal O’Neill’s second point of the game put double figures between the sides.

Following their heavy Division 1 final defeat to Waterford, there were few crumbs of comfort for Kieran Kingston and his charges who again looked a distant second to their neighbours.

Nickie Quaid’s goal was breached after just 12 seconds when Cork’s most prolific goalscorer in 2021 Shane Kingston found the net after receiving a pass from Conor Cahalane, a late replacement for Seamus Harnedy.

Cork had 1-2 on the board by the time Limerick registered their first point, although it was the first of four-in-a-row. A Patrick Horgan free in the 12th minute broke that trend but Kyle Hayes, who switched to attack with Mike Casey an 11th hour swap for David Reidy, again found the Town End to his liking and batted to the net in the 16th minute.

Three Cork points sent them two points ahead in the 28th minute but Limerick outscored them 1-4 to 0-1 for the remainder of the half. Quaid did have to save from Conor Lehane in additional time but before that there was an Aaron Gillane in the 34th minute, Graeme Mulcahy dispossessing Seán O’Donoghue and Hayes feeding the ball inside to the unmarked Patrickswell man.

Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (0-9, 8 frees); S. Kingston (1-0); R. O’Flynn, S. Barrett, C. Lehane (0-2 each); D. Fitzgibbon, T. O’Mahony (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: A. Gillane (1-4, 0-2 frees); D. Byrnes (0-6, 2 frees); K. Hayes (1-1); G. Hegarty (0-3); C. Lynch, B. Nash, C. O’Neill (0-2 each); T. Morrissey, D. Morrissey, D. Hannon, P. Ryan, D. Reidy (0-1 each).

CORK: P. Collins; N. O’Leary, D. Cahalane, S. O’Donoghue; T. O’Mahony, M. Coleman (c), C. Joyce; D. Fitzgibbon, G. Millerick; R. O’Flynn, S. Barrett, C. Cahalane; C. Lehane, P. Horgan, S. Kingston.

Subs: S. Harnedy for C. Cahalane (h-t); R. Downey for S. O’Donoghue (blood 42-53); J. O’Connor for S. Kingston, A. Connolly for S. Barrett (both 55); L. Meade for C. Lehane (61).

LIMERICK: N. Quaid; S. Finn, M. Casey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, D. Hannon (c), D. Morrissey; D. O’Donovan, W. O’Donoghue; T. Morrissey, C. Lynch, G. Hegarty; A. Gillane, K. Hayes, G. Mulcahy.

Subs: C. O’Neill for T. Morrissey (57); D. Reidy for D. O’Donovan (60); O. O’Reilly for K. Hayes (63); C. Boylan for G. Hegarty, P. Ryan for G. Mulcahy (both 69).

Referee: J. Keenan (Wicklow).