Limerick reclaim Munster title after another titantic tussle with Cork

The Treaty County gained revenge for their penalty shootout loss to the Rebels in last year's decider.

CHAMPIONS AGAIN: Limerick's Cian Lynch lifts the Munster Senior Hurling Championship title. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

Cork 2-17 (23) Limerick 1-21 (24)

Limerick spoiled Cork’s patch and ended their 12-game unbeaten run in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to return the Mick Mackey Cup to the Treaty county.

In greasy, messy conditions both the players and the referee James Owens found difficult, Limerick timed their run to claim a seventh Munster SHC title under John Kiely and make up for last year’s defeat to Cork on their own sod.

The teams were level in the third minute of additional time when Peter Casey landed his third point of the game. David Reidy hit a wide and Gearóid Hegarty spanked the post afterwards but it didn’t matter.

They had been in the ascendancy. Into a stiff breeze, Brian Hayes’ audacious 38th minute goal was Cork’s last from play. With his backside on the ground, Hayes was able to fashion a ridiculous goal. Limerick cancelled it out with three points in four minutes. Aidan O’Connor also had a shot kept out by Patrick Collins.

Four frees in a tit-for-tat pattern followed before Nickie Quaid was called on once more to pull of a spectacular save in the 54th minute, this time from Mark Coleman.

After missing his third free, O’Connor was alone in space to bring Limerick to within a point in the 63rd minute. Alan Connolly doubled Cork’s lead once more but Limerick hit them with a hat-trick of points: a Diarmaid Byrnes 65 after Hegarty had been denied a score by Patrick Collins, a Hegarty point and Peter Casey’s second.

Connolly squared the game in the second minute of additional time but Casey was on hand to provide the winner and Limerick’s proud record of never losing a final in normal or extra-time was maintained.

Adam English was a late withdrawal for Limerick. Perhaps the pressure he had put himself on with early yellow cards in recent games was the reason but Shane O’Brien was favoured over him. Cian Lynch switched to midfield and O’Connor moved out to centre-forward to accommodate O’Brien.

Match-up wise, the decision to assign Seán O’Donoghue to Aaron Gillane seemed a gamble when the Limerick forward had slipped him for a goal in the Division 1 final. But he was ahead on points by the half-time break.

Limerick captain Lynch won the toss and chose to face the wind blowing from the City End. Given its strength, to be within touching distance by the break would have been acceptable and so Limerick were, 1-9 to 1-11 behind after finishing out the half with the last four points.

The scores were tied in the eighth minute when Brian Hayes was fouled by his namesake Kyle as he tried to collect a Coleman sideline cut. Captain for the day Coleman sent the ball past Quaid and the flares were ignited in the Blackrock End.

Caoimhín Kelleher meets the Barracks Street Band shortly before the Munster Hurling final.

The picture was taken by his former Liverpool teammate Conor Bradley, who was also pictured enjoying the match, as was AP McCoy.

📷 Conor Bradley and Daire Brennan/Sportsfile. pic.twitter.com/D0QcKoPwYH

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) June 7, 2026

As O’Connor fired two frees wide into the wind, two placed balls by Tim O’Mahony towards the Cork-dominated terrace put the home side five points up in the 13th minute.

O’Connor did prosecute a foul on Lynch in the 15th minute and just as the Blackrock End were mocking Diarmaid Byrnes’ long-range attempt falling short a minute later, the long left arm of Hegarty rose highest and he found enough space to bounce the ball beyond Collins.

Two points split the sides in the 24th minute when Cork went on a scoring spree. O’Mahony sent over his third 65 and either side of a Connolly free William Buckley and Rob Downey pistoled points. O’Mahony’s score was the compensation for an outrageous Quaid save from Diarmuid Healy after he was teed up by Hayes.

Cork didn’t register a wide until the half-hour mark just before Downey’s electric point after sending the ball back over Quaid’s head.

But the conclusion of the half was Limerick’s. A third O’Connor point was backed by a Cathal O’Neill score just before he had to retire injured. O’Brien brought Limerick within two after Hegarty assisted and O’Connor saw out the half with his second converted free.

Scorers for Cork: A. Connolly (0-7, frees); T. O’Mahony (0-4, 3 65s, 1 free); M. Coleman (pen), B. Hayes (1-0 each); D. Healy, W. Buckley (0-2 each); B. Hayes, R. Downey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: A. O’Connor (0-8, 4 frees, 2 65s); G. Hegarty (1-1); D. Byrnes (2 frees, 1 65), P. Casey (0-3 each); T. Morrissey (0-2); C. Lynch, B. Nash, C. O’Neill, S. O’Brien (0-1 each).

CORK: P. Collins; D. Cahalane, N. O’Leary, S. O’Donoghue; M. Coleman (c), R. Downey, E. Downey; T. O’Mahony, T. O’Connell; B. Walsh, S. Barrett, D. Healy; A. Connolly, B. Hayes, W. Buckley.

Subs: C. O’Brien for S. O’Donoghue (42); S. Harnedy for B. Walsh (66); H. O’Connor for T. O’Connell (70+2).

LIMERICK: N. Quaid; S. Finn, D. Morrissey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, W. O’Donoghue, K. Hayes; D. O’Donovan, C. Lynch (c); G. Hegarty, A. O’Connor, C. O’Neill; A. Gillane, S. O’Brien, P. Casey.

Subs: T. Morrissey for C. O’Neill (inj 35); A. English for A. Gillane (49); M. Casey for B. Nash (temp, 66-69); D. Reidy for S. O’Brien (66).

Referee: J. Owens (Wexford).