Player ratings: how Cork and Limerick fared in Munster final epic
SPOILS OF WAR: Cork’s Robert Downey brings the Mackey Cup into the dressing room. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Barely put a foot wrong bar going down prematurely for Aidan O’Connor’s batted goal – which he atoned for by getting down to Tom Morrissey’s penalty at precisely the right time. 8
Warrior. Has had his challenging times since winning his last Munster final but this was reward for and a measure of his resilience. Personified the aggression Cork brought to the Gaelic Grounds that was absent three weeks ago, the regularity which he came out with the ball far outweighing a late tired free he conceded. 8
Responded brilliantly to all the learnings he’d have received here and earlier in this Munster campaign, capped by his first championship point – and medal – for the county. 7.5
Renewed acquaintances with Aaron Gillane having been assigned elsewhere three weeks ago and did a manful job at the most challenging, near impossible, task a modern inside back can be faced with. Gave Gillane little, even at one point, his hurley, before being wisely called ashore before any second yellow card was sustained.
Another defender commissioned to mark a generational player and made a good fist of it. You’ll hardly better Gearoid Hegarty but you can limit him which is what O’Brien did here before making way.
Lost the battle that was the first quarter but after that won his private and pivotal war with Cian Lynch. No player epitomises Cork’s 16-point improvement from three weeks ago more. Immense.
In the first half-hour when Cork were having difficulty making their wind advantage translate on the scoreboard, he was the team’s outstanding backline player, sweeping and popping up everywhere.
Back to his industrious best after a mid-season dip, bringing the fight Cork needed around a battle zone frequented by the likes of Will O’Donoghue.
Even if his penalty miss had ended up costing Cork this Munster title, would still have been a deserving RTÉ man of the match. Excellent going forward as always, chipping in with four points, but also raced back to cover for some colleagues to ensure some potential Limerick goals ended up being only Limerick points.
Showed just why he got the nod to start, and from the start too, by setting up the game’s first score and then swinging over two of Cork’s next four points himself.
It’s one thing to torment Declan Hannon in Croke Park but another to do likewise to Kyle Hayes in his own backyard. In hammering the hammer, kept the Cork scoreboard ticking at a time when they were just trying to keep in the game.
Has four Munster medals to his name now and like in the three others, was pivotal to this success, providing Patrick Collins and other colleagues out the field with a constant outball.
Once again The Equaliser in normal time, though this one was possibly that rare case where Cork bailed him out rather than the usual story of him bailing them out. Although he was man-handled more than once, there was no one on him taking some of the straightforward frees he yet again missed. Knows that trend can’t continue in Croke Park.
With the ball being directed more towards the corner channels than his down the middle, the game somewhat bypassed him. But gets an extra mark out of 10 here for how he clung that penalty upon his reintroduction.
Over the last 12 months has brought what Cork forwardlines had been lacking for over a decade – fight to go with all the flair. This was a masterclass for how he out-Limericked Limerick, pinning them in, while was a constant outball throughout. 7.5
8 It was for days like this that Shane Kingston (8.5) and Conor Lehane (8.5) persisted and were persisted with, chipping in with 0-5 between them, and 2-5 if you count the shootout. Tommy O’Connell (8) gave ferocious energy and mobility around the middle third. Robbie O’Flynn (7) may have missed another late shot but atoned for it with his workrate. Rob Downey (7) and Brian Roche (6) and Niall O’Leary (7) also ensured that Cork on this occasion, as opposed to another extra-time game in Croke Park 10 months ago, won the battle of the benches.
The perfectionist and serial winner he is, will be irked by how he fumbled Darragh Fitzgibbon’s late free; if he’d held it, he’d be holding a seventh Munster title.
Held Patrick Horgan well in more ways than one, and repeatedly came out with ball, particularly in the closing minutes of normal and extra time.
Ensured Alan Connolly was kept quiet and goalless again. 7
Was a bit off his usual high standard, failing to control a ball that led to an early Diarmuid Healy point, and in general lost his battle with Brian Hayes, though it was hardly one-sided. 7
Was immense the last time Limerick were involved in a Munster final that went to extra-time but this time he wasn’t even around for it, a measure of how he was merely steady than his usual majestic self here. Showed why though he was reintroduced by burying his penalty, a standard that couldn’t be followed by a couple of his colleagues. .
The first time he has been outplayed and subdued since moving to the six spot. Even drove a ball wide when making a rare foray up the field. Never relented though, making a great block on Patrick Horgan near the end of normal time.
Like Hayes, another former forward that uncharacteristically and costly missed his one shot at the posts, but his honesty meant he was one of the players that lasted the full 90-plus minutes.
Linked a lot of play in the first half in his typical understated way but wasn’t as influential as he usually is and was replaced by his old wingman Darragh O’Donovan before the end of normal time.
Could have made a better fist of his first-half goal chance but continued to be a scoring threat, finishing with three points from play. 8
Took down some brilliant puckouts as usual, and put in an enormous shift, but it was a sign of how much this one took out of him that he wasn’t reintroduced in extra time.
In the first quarter looked like he was going to run and win this game for Limerick like he has so many times before, even as recently as three weeks ago against the same opposition, but after his early exhibition of catching, was not just contained but essentially snuffed out by Ciarán Joyce. 7
By scoring two of Limerick’s first three points, helped his team settle into the game but became an increasingly peripheral figure thereafter. Reintroduced but his penalty was surprisingly lame and saved.
As well as Seán O’Donoghue did on him, especially for the first three quarters of normal time, he was again Limerick’s go-to man and standout operator for the last 35 minutes here. Masterfully shielded-assisted for Shane O’Brien’s goal.
Was out in front of his man repeatedly and could have had even more than his goal to show for all that possession.
Scored several tidy points to justify why he was in ahead of several bigger names before making way for one of them.
(7) Shane O’Brien (8) instantly made an impact by setting up a point for Adam English before pouncing for a goal himself; he finished with 1-2, more than any other Limerick player from play. Petr Casey (7) had a fine last 10 minutes, winning a key free and swinging over a key point, to atone for giving away a poor free and shooting wide earlier. Darragh O’Donovan (6.5) might have scored a late go-ahead point but could and should have added to it. Declan Hannon (7), Shane O’Neill (6.5), Barry Murphy (6) weren't bad - but not as good as the end of Cork's bench.
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