Cork footballers advance to U20 Munster final after a comfortable win over Limerick

Cork 2-15 

Limerick 0-5 

A blistering start to a wind-assisted second-half helped holders Cork pull away from Limerick in the Munster U20 Football Championship semi-final in Ballyagran on Monday evening.

Despite facing the wind in the opening period, Cork still led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval, but a quick-fire 2-2 inside six minutes on the resumption left Limerick reeling.

Kanturk brothers Alan and Colin Walsh used their height to create the opening goal for Hugh Murphy, 60 seconds in.

Alan won a throw-up, awarded for a re-start not travelling the required distance, and Colin took possession before sending Murphy in for a cool finish.

The placing of Colin at full-forward for the second-half reaped another dividend, when he sent Conor Hanlon away only for the Buttevant player to be hauled down for a penalty.

The outstanding Ryan O’Donovan, who top-scored with 1-6, duly stuck his effort low to the left of keeper Shane O’Connell.

And the Barryroe dangerman converted his first ’45 in the 43rd minute after O’Connell brilliantly denied Colin Walsh.

Cork were completely dominant at this stage adding another 0-5 before Limerick finally kicked their opening point from play and their only score of the second-half three minutes from the end of regulation time.

Five points without reply in an eight-minute burst mid-way through the opening half put Cork in a winning position.

Scorers for Cork: R O’Donovan 1-6, 1-0 pen, 2f, 2 ‘45s, H Murphy 1-0, C Hanlon 0-4, 2f, D O’Mahony 0-3, P O’Driscoll, C Daly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: E Rigter 0-2f, C Woulfe 0-1, D O’Shaughnessy 0-1f, D Murray 0-1 ’45.

TEAMS: CORK: C Dungan (Carrigaline); J O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers), T Walsh (Kanturk), D Peet (Clonakilty); D Cashman (Millstreet), joint-captain, N Lordan (Ballinora), joint-captain, S Brady (Ballygarvan); K Scannell (Carbery Rangers), A Walsh (Kanturk); R O’Sullivan (Newcestown), C Walsh (Kanturk), H Murphy (Eire Og); R O’Donovan (Barryroe), C Hanlon (Buttevant), D O’Mahony (Ballincollig).

Subs: A Walsh-Murphy (Valley Rovers) for O’Mahony 45, P O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers) for O’Sullivan 48, C Daly (Clonakilty) for Murphy 53, E Walsh (Clyda Rovers) for C Walsh 54, F Fenner (Castletownbere) for Scannell 57.

LIMERICK: S O’Donnell; E McGrath, P Holian, R O’Connor; S Kilbridge, A Neville, C Woulfe; P McMahon, D Murray; J Baynham, E Rigter, C O Duinn; K Mullins, D Bridgeman, D O’Shaughnessy.

Subs: S O’Donoghue for Mullins half-time, C McGrath for McMahon 40, Z McCarthy for O Duinn 41, M Cremins for Kilbridge 45, T Donovan for Bridgeman 53.

Referee: N Quinn (Clare).