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Gillane hits 0-13 and Horgan fires 0-17 as Limerick hold off Cork for victory

11,212 supporters were in attendance in Páirc Uí Chaoimh today.

Limerick 0-29
Cork 2-21

11 WEEKS OUT from the serious stuff of championship, Limerick hit the right notes with the stronger finish in Cork.

darragh-fitzgibbon-and-aaron-gillane Aaron Gillane in action against Darragh Fitzgibbon. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

The teams will meet on Sunday 10 May when their summer campaign commences and Limerick have two wins to their credit over their provincial rivals before that Munster showdown.

This was a more keenly contested affair than last month’s pre-season final at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick again accelerating clear in the opening period but having to withstand a Cork recovery, underpinned by goals from Shane Kingston and Aidan Walsh.

Patrick Horgan nudged Cork in front in the 66th minute, 2-21 to 0-26, yet Limerick rattled off the last three points of the game to clinch success as Kyle Hayes, Diarmaid Byrnes and Aaron Gillane all raised white flags.

It was fitting from Limerick’s viewpoint that Gillane contributed the last score of the game. He finished with 0-13 to his name. It was a superb display of marksmanship but he was outdone by Patrick Horgan who hit a staggering total of 0-17, one better than the figure he chalked up for Cork against Clare in the league twelve months ago.

It was a game with more than a nod to the past, Cork decked out in black as they wore 1920 commemorative jerseys. They didn’t manage to mark the occasion with a triumph but the healthy attendance were treated to a fine contest as Cork roared back into contention after the break.

gearoid-hegarty-tim-omahony-and-mark-coleman Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Cork’s second-half fightback was ignited by the two goals they smashed home. Both were impressive strikes into the Blackrock End. Kingston provided a solo effort, weaving a path through the Limerick defence and firing home in the 43rd minute. Then Walsh, drafted in at half-time, fetched a free from distance before swivelling and hammering in a shot that gave Nicky Quaid little chance. That propelled Cork in front 2-18 to 0-21 yet could not kick on as they were outscored 0-8 to 0-3 for the remainder of the exchanges.

The fluency of Limerick’s play was on show from the off. Their attacking interplay yielded six points inside the opening ten minutes and they had swelled that figure to 0-12 by the 17th minute mark. The 0-17 to 0-11 advantage at the break did not flatter them with the double attacking act of Gillane and Flanagan impacting while the points flowed from elsewhere as well with Paddy O’Loughlin, Cian Lynch and William O’Donoghue amongst those on target. That early burst provided the platform on which John Kiely’s team built their eventual win.

Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-13 (0-11f), Darragh O’Donovan 0-3, Cian Lynch, Paddy O’Loughlin, Seamus Flanagan, Kyle Hayes 0-2 each, Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty, David Dempsey, Diarmaid Byrnes (0-1 ’65) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-17 (0-15f, 0-1 ’65), Shane Kingston 1-1, Aidan Walsh 1-0, Declan Dalton 0-2 (0-1 sideline), Bill Cooper 0-1.

Limerick

1. Nicky Quaid (Effin)

2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Aaron Costello (Kilmallock)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare)
7. Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock)

8. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
9. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsiagh)

11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
12. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)

13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon)
15. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh)

Subs

19. Tom Morrissey (Ahane) for Hegarty (55)
20. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock) for Dempsey (55)
25. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for Lynch (59)
21. Barry Nash (South Liberties) for O’Loughlin (63)
22. Darren O’Connell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry) for Flanagan (67)

Cork

1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)

3. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
4. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
2. Sean O’ Leary-Hayes Midleton)

8. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
7. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers)
5. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum)

6. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
12. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)

10. Robbie O’ Flynn (Erins Own)
11. Seamus Harnedy (St. Itas)
9. Luke Meade (Newcestown)

13. Declan Dalton (Fr. O’ Neills)
14. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)

Subs

22. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk) for Meade (half-time)
21. Conor Lehane (Midleton) for Dalton (57)
18. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Mahony (66)
20. Conor Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for O’Flynn (69)

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny)

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