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)
