Limerick 1-14
Cork 0-14
Fintan O’Toole reports from the Gaelic Grounds
A LATE GOAL by star attacker Peter Casey saw Limerick past Cork in tonight’s Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling semi-finla at the Gaelic Grounds.
The results keeps Limerick’s three-in-a-row bid at this level alive while Cork’s underage struggles continue with the county having failed to reach a provincial minor hurling final since 2008.
Casey, who finished with 1-6 overall, pounced for the only goal of the game in dramatic fashion with just two minutes left on the clock.
His crisp left-hand shot to the net pushed Limerick ahead by 1-12 to 0-13 and they survived a late barrage of pressure by Cork to keep their goal intact.
It was a critical intervention by Casey to set up a Munster final meeting for Limerick with Tipperary on 12 July in Semple Stadium.
Their prospects of success looked shaky as Cork went ahead 0-13 to 0-11 entering the final ten minutes and Cork goalkeeper Declan Dalton had also stopped his opposite netminder Eoghan McNamara’s penalty in the 45th minute.
But Cork were crippled by an inability to close out the game. They created plenty openings but amassed 15 wides and Limerick were far more economical as they only hit four wides.
Apart from Casey, there were important scoring contributions for Limerick from Darragh Carroll, Thomas Grimes and Kyle Hayes with the team coached by Anthony Daly getting the job done in front of 4,184 spectators.
Cork will rue this defeat, particularly as they had convincingly seen off Limerick by nine points in the opening round. They were forced to start without their brilliant attacking talent Shane Kingston – who hit 1-9 in April’s quarter-final tie – due to a serious leg injury.
Still Cork started well to be ahead 0-5 to 0-3 after the opening quarter and were 0-7 to 0-4 in front approaching half-time. Mark Coleman, who fired 0-7 overall, and Liam Healy showed well while Cork’s strategic defensive formation frustrated Limerick.
But Limerick drew level at 0-7 apiece before the interval and went ahead for the first time in the game in the 41st minute when McNamara converted a long-range free.
Cork weathered that storm to reel off three points without reply from Dalton and Coleman (2) but they could never put enough daylight between the teams on the scoreboard, and were then floored by the concession of that late goal.
Scorers for Limerick: Peter Casey 1-6 (0-4f), Darragh Carroll, Thomas Grimes, Kyle Hayes 0-2 each, Brian Ryan, Eoghan McNamara (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Mark Coleman 0-7 (0-4f), Liam Healy 0-2, Declan Dalton (0-1 ’65), Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O’Mahony, Ciaran Cormack, Sean Powter 0-1 each.
Limerick
1. Eoghan McNamama (captain)(Doon)
2. Thomas Hayes (Doon)
3. Conor McSweeney (South Liberties)
4. Jack O Grady (Knockainey)
5. Conor Byrnes (Murroe Boher)
6. Paddy O Loughlin (Kilmallock)
7. Conor Houlihan (Na Piarsaigh)
8. Darragh Carroll (Kilteely Dromkeen)
9. Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh)
10. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo Pallaskenry)
11. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh Castlemahon)
12. Brian Ryan (South Liberties)
13. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
14. Mickey Mackey (Adare)
15. Barry Murphy (Doon)
Subs
19. Willie O’Meara (Askeaton) for Mackey (50)
18. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Carroll (53)
21. Oisin O’Reilly (Kilmallock) for Ryan (58)
23. Paudie Ahern (Kileedy) for Hayes (60)
Cork
1. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills)
7. David Lowney (Clonakilty)
3. David Griffin (Carrigaline)
2. Seadnaidh Smyth (Midleton)
5. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
6. Eoghan Murphy (Sarsfields) (Capt)
4. Conor McCarthy (Blarney)
8. Chris O’Leary (Valley Rovers)
9. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)
14. Ciaran Cormack (Blackrock)
11. Michael O’Halloran (Blackrock)
12. Tim O’Mahony (Shandrum)
13. Sean Powter (Douglas)
10. Liam Healy (Sarsfields)
15. John Looney (Aghada)
Subs
18. John Cashman (Blackrock) for O’Leary (half-time)
23. Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own) for O’Halloran (42)
22. Billy Dunne (Fr O’Neills) for Powter (46)
20. Billy Hennessy (St Finbarr’s) for Looney (53)
Referee: Paul Foley (Waterford)
Unbelievable beat a team in 1st round and then your out on your arse in a semi final against same team – no back door for loser
Tim I’m delighted we got through but there is something very fundamentally wrong when you get beaten the way you just said. It makes a mockery of it all. Why oh why can’t it just be like senior level ? It reminds me of 2007 when our seniors were beaten by Waterford in a Munster final , they went straight to an AI semi where Limerick went through the back door and met Waterford in the semi and hammered them.
The system is poor but it’s the system. Suck it up and deal with it. Clare played one match and are gone for the year. Didn’t hear them moaning last week. The game was there to be won tonight and they couldn’t do it. Well done Limerick. Played poorly and still dug it out. Can’t see them beating Tipp without a massive improvement but nice way to enter a final.
Cork blew that tonight. 17 wides and a ref who gave them an awful lot (admittedly he did pull cork back for a free in when he should have played advantage for a goal chance).
Cork hurlers are breaking my heart lately
9 times out of 10 that cork side would have put us away again, but they hit some woeful wides, cost em massively, can’t see us beating tipp on that performance but who knows, agree on referee, shocking bad!
Cork minor hurlers not doing so well lately.
1970-79 8 Munster , 5 all Ireland
1980-89 3 Munster, 1 all Ireland
1990-99 4 Munster , 2 all Ireland
2000-09 5 Munster , 1 all Ireland
2010-tonight zero in both.
Tonight’s result will put pressure on the seniors v wexford on Saturday also.
These were two poor minor teams.surprisingly so.cork drove so many long range frees wide.that said if they had won the referee could have been lynched. He seemed to give some very harsh frees on limerick who could seem to buy a free.very well taken goal to decide it
an absolute joke of a system from the clowns at GAA headquarters.. fair dues to Limerick but it’s a bitter pill to swallow not to have another opportunity. bad year for our hurlers this year.
First things first, I know he’s only human, but the display of referee Paul Foley tonight was comical. He absolutely rode Limerick in the first half and then did his best to do same to Cork after half time. He let blatant fouls go but then whistled up for nothing challenges. Absolutely bizarre. If I was a Cork fan I’d have been raging that he blew up when one of the Cork forwards was through on goal and brought it back for the free. Is he not familiar with the advantage rule, brought in early this year?!
Limerick were fortunate tonight, Cork were the better team but it’s nice to be on the end of good fortune for once. Shocking shooting and lethargic play lost it for Cork. Limerick played nowhere near their potential. Daly needs to fire a serious rocket up the players asses, if they play like that against Tipp, they’ll be absolutely mauled.
Fair play to Limerick for sticking in there, especially after McNamara missing the penalty.
And for those writing the obituary of Cork hurling, you can put your pen away. Some fine hurlers on that team tonight – Healy, Coleman, Murphy, Powter – all good players. Not forgetting the injured Shane Kingston.
Good man Colm nice to know there are a few positives to take from the loss. Best of luck limerick btw