2006 Flashback: James Masters hit all bar one of Cork's points in Limerick
Padraig Browne, Limerick, in action against James Masters, Cork, in 2006, when the Nemo forward kicked eight points. Picture: Kieran Clancy/SPORTSFILE
JAMES Master might not have been involved by the time Cork lifted Sam Maguire in 2010 but he was the go-to forward in the mid-noughties as Cork moved from a joke to challengers again.
His pinnacle was the 2006 Munster final replay, Man of the Match as Cork stunned Kerry, but his efforts in the semi-final the month before weren't far off it.
He dragged an under-par Rebel side through a low-scoring tie at the Gaelic Grounds in front of just over 3,000 supporters, kicking eight of the nine points Billy Morgan's crew managed. Four came from play, four from frees, with Ilen Rovers' Kevin O'Sullivan the only other scorer.
At half-time, Cork were 0-5 to 0-3 in arrears but shut down the Shannonsiders in the second half.
Masters was the only scorer at all across the last 30 minutes, though Limerick were short Muiris Gavin and Stephen Kelly through injury.
Donncha O'Connor made his debut off the bench and Billy Morgan reacted to a worrying display by ringing the changes for the Munster final with Kerry.
Michael Prout, Michael Shields, Seán O'Brien, Pearse O'Neill and O'Connor were brought into the line-up for the 0-10 apiece draw in Killarney. Cork actually led 0-7 to 0-1 after a blitzkrieg start at Fitzgerald Stadium until Anthony Lynch was red-carded. Kieran Donaghy was sent off in the second half and a late Masters free forced a replay.
The Rebels won that encounter in the Páirc 1-12 to 0-9, though Kerry rebooted, with Donaghy as a target-man at 14 and captured the All-Ireland, knocking Kerry out in the All-Ireland semi.
The Kingdom retained Sam Maguire in '07, again at Cork's expense, though an injury to Masters in the build-up didn't help the Leesiders' cause.
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