Limerick 0-16
Cork 1-11
Kevin O’Brien reports from the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
THEY MADE HARD work of it, but Limerick eventually saw off a spirited Cork side to lift the Munster U21 hurling crown for the second time in three years.
Fourteen members of Pat Donnelly’s squad claimed provincial success in 2015, before going on to lift the All-Ireland crown later that summer.
Limerick will meet Galway in the semi-final this time around safe in the knowledge that seven of the last eight Munster winners have gone on to lift the All-Ireland title.
The Rebels were the better team for large swathes of this game but left themselves with too much to do after trailing by seven points on 14 minutes.
In front of a heaving 11,774 at the Gaelic Grounds, Cork battled back with Mark Coleman and Shane Kingston influential. They were within two points with six minutes left on the clock but the Shannonsiders held their nerve down the stretch.
Aaron Gillane posted a couple of crucial frees to give Limerick some breathing space and, despite a late Cork rally, they survived to lift the provincial title.
Playing against a strong breeze in the opening half, Cork lined out with senior star Coleman operating as a sweeper and a three-man midfield of Chris O’Leary, David Lowney and Michael O’Halloran.
Cork went more conventional for the second-half with the breeze at their backs while Limerick dropped Kyle Hayes as a spare man in front of their full-back line.
Limerick’s dangerous attack reeled off the first seven scores of the game to lead by 0-7 to no score after 14 minutes.
Kingston finally got the Rebels off the mark midway through the opening half and finally the Rebels started to show some form. Kingston added another before O’Mahony struck for a crucial 27th minute goal to give the away side hope.
Limerick led at half-time by 0-11 to 1-4 and a pair of Gillane frees after the restart stretched that lead to six. But Cork hit five of the next six scores, including a monster Coleman free from inside his own 45m, to leave them trailing by 0-14 to 1-9.
Gillane scored two frees when Limerick needed them most, but there was still fight in Cork late on. Coleman (free) and Kingston led a late charge, but they failed to find the goal they needed to snatch the win.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-6 (0-6f), Barry Nash, Thomas Grimes, Ronan Lynch (0-2f) and Peter Casey 0-2 each, Mike Mackey and Tom Morrissey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Tim O’Mahony 1-1, Shane Kingston 0-3, Declan Dalton, Mark Coleman (0-2f) and Michael O’Halloran 0-2 each, Robbie O’Flynn 0-1.
Limerick
1. Eoghan McNamara (Doon)
2. Seán Finn (Bruff)
6. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
5. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Dan Joy (Kilmallock)
3. Darragh Fanning (Pallasgreen)
9. Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock)
8. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
7. Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh)
10. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
11. Mike Mackey (Adare)
12. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
13. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
15. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
14. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
Subs
17. Paudie Ahern (Killeedy) for Casey (42)
18. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Mackey (46)
22. Barry Murphy (Doon) for Morrissey (56)
20. Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen) for Hanley (61)
Cork
1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
3. Eoghan Murphy (Sarsfields)
4. David Griffin (Carrigaline)
2. John Cashman (Blackrock)
7. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
5. Sean O’Donoghue (Inniscarra)
9. Paul Leopold (Sarsfields)
6. Darren Browne (capt, Kanturk)
15. Chris O’Leary (Valley Rovers)
8. David Lowney (Clonakilty)
10. Michael O’Halloran (Blackrock)
11. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills)
14. Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own)
12. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
13. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum)
Subs
17. Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields) for O’Leary (40)
20. Dave O’Neill (Mayfield) for Lowney (56)
22. John Looney (Aghada) for O’Mahony (57)
Referee: Rory McGann (Clare)
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For James Ryan to come in like that on his European debut, just off an injury… My God, he’s only 21. So excited to see where his career goes. Henshaw was fantastic at outside centre aswell. Barry Daly has been such a welcome surprise, really balanced player.
And Carbery. Kid oozes class. Playing at 15 for the next couple of years will do him no harm, look at Beauden Barrett.
@4OYards: haha great second row. Beirne coming back next year and Treadwell in Ulster – some fine young locks and Dilliane is only 24 too
@4OYards:
I feel not playing Carbery at 10 when Sexton is out is wasting vital development time. One of the hottest prospects at out-half in World Rugby. Leinster has an embarrassment of riches.
Perhaps it would be best for everyone if of the exiting 10s was given a chance to lead another province in need of a player of such quality
@Gavin Healy: He is very effective coming into the line from No. 15. I wonder how his place kicking is coming along. He is the real deal. So is James Ryan
Henshaw was savage in Defence today, made some great carries too. Lots of young talent in that team.
@Batster: an immense warrior and absolute gent on and off the pitch
Only saw the game just now but James Ryan was incredible. For a guy so young, he easily looked like an international quality lock today. Carried the ball excellently, showed great tackle technique, wasn’t afraid to get involved in a bit of niggle at the ruck, called line-outs to himself. Just class.
While he still has to be physically eased into pro rugby and managed like those before him, today was a top class performance from the young man.
It’s poor reasoning to say Henshaw is wasted at 12. The guys is superb at 13 and more exciting to watch. Hopefully he gets a run out at 13 in November. But the fact that he is brilliant at 13 doesn’t equate to him being wasted at 13. He’s immense there as well.
@Paul K Murphy: the rational side to the argumemt you’re making is fair. The other side is silly and is just used as a Schmidt dig.
@Conor Paddington: Henshaw is wasted at 12.
There’s a changing of the guard afoot. Carberry was outstanding as was Conan, the young guys coming through have the ability. Henshaw is next level. World class 13. Outstanding
The Article says Montpelier will be a different beast at home, Leinster with Sexton, O’Brien,Fardy, Heaslip, Kearney and Ringrose could be a very different beast too
Hey Ryan, you mention the amount of yards henshaw made, leinster tries scored, nabolos weight, etc. Any chance you could mention the actual score? It would be helpful.
@Brother Sylvest: you have several options there. You could have watched the match, one. You could google it, two. You could check innumerable social media sources, three. You could have checked the articles which were match reports as opposed to commentary, four. The list actually goes on.
@Conor Paddington: All true Conor but it’s a fair point to suggest including the score in an article about the match is not asking for too much given that other stats were mentioned
@Brother Sylvest: leinster won but Montpellier secured a losing bonus point .. I Google it
Aki 12 and Henshaw 13 for Ireland. Like how they played for connacht.
Great strength in depth,fingers crossed exciting year ahead
From an Irish perspective a McCloskey 12 and Henshaw 13 looks mouthwatering.
Should always be at 13 a natural
Yes Leinster got the win but to be fair it was more like Montpellier let them win! That overlap at the end! Since under 8s the whole idea is to suck them into the middle then go wide around the outside! How that pass wasn’t giving I’ll never know!
@mb: that’s unfair . They earned that win today
Bit of a Pedantic Pat post but Henshaw didn’t come through the system at Leinster.
I’ll get me coat….
@Rosco Bosco: bit of a blind Barry more like….it mentions that in the article!
@Marc Richardson: It got edited after I mentioned it Marco
The real talking point should be how amazing it is that a backline with an average age of 22/23 once Nacewa went off managed to outperform (based on skill, not just energy) a very expensively assembled Montpellier backline. Incredible.
Bodes very, very well for Ireland in the years to come.
Thought Henshaw and Carberry were sensational, and in the forwards, Ryan was outstanding, what a player we have in the making. Ireland might need him from next year as we really only have 3 locks of international stature with Ryan out of the loop.
In Leinster supporters opinion is Henshaw a better 13 than Ringrose?
@Conor Greham: To be honest, I don’t know. That remains to be seen.
@Conor Greham: Maybe. But Leinster don’t have a 12 that’s better than Henshaw and Ringrose is fantastic.
@Conor Greham: ringrose is a very good 13, we don’t have a natural 12 so unless one comes along while ringrose is fit Robbie switches to 12.
Reid at 12 and henshaw at 13 or henshaw at 12 and ringrose at 13 not a coach on the planet is going to pick the first one.
@Conor Greham: Ringrose performaed brilliantly at 12 against Australia. Anything to be said for GR@12, RH@13?
Also, strange no mention of Leinster achieved this victory with Sexton, O’Brien, Heaslip, Fardy, Rob Kearney, Dan Leavy (even if the latter two wouldn’t / shouldn’t have played) – incredible squad depth.
Leinster flattered.montpelier much better team but didn’t have luck referee or anything on their side
Very sloppy performance. If Leinster are to progress this year we need to see the basics done well and let the attractive rugby look after itself.
I know it is a team full of young guns which is great to see, but this is the 3rd or 4th year like this and the team needs to kick on.
Also, Ringrose is a class 12 too, great at offloads and a very strong straight up defender. The 2 lads could interchange no worries and that’s this Lions 12/13 in S.A.