Lessons from the Cork hurlers wins away to Limerick

We look back at Cork's wins on the road to Limerick in league and championship in the modern era.

2022 League: 

Limerick 1-13 Cork 2-19

Cork were men possessed heading to Shannonside in early '22, having been wiped out in the previous summer's All-Ireland final.

The Rebels drove into a 2-13 to 0-5 lead after a rampant first half against a surprisingly sluggish Limerick. It was hard-hitting stuff, with Shane Kingston getting a straight red for a high challenge on Seán Finn after he'd raised the two green flags.

Limerick couldn't capitlise though as straight after Séamus Flanagan was sent off for taking out Seán O’Donoghue.

Cork had Daire O'Leary, whose inter-county career was subsequently held up by injuries, at full-back and Mark Keane, now back in Aussie Rules, at 12.

Cork went on to reach the league final where they were beaten by Waterford in the final and after finishing third in Munster lost the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway, after missing a host of chances.

Limerick retained the Munster and All-Ireland silverware.

Scorers for Limerick: C O’Neill 1-1, D Byrnes (f), D Reidy (0-2 f) 0-3 each, A Gillane 0-2 f, D O’Donovan, C Lynch, S Flanagan, G Mulcahy 0-1 each.

Cork: P Horgan 0-8 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), S Kingston 2-0, C Lehane, D Fitzgibbon, M Coleman (0-1 f), R O’Flynn 0-2 each, T O’Mahony, S Barrett, J O’Connor 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: B Hennessy; A Costelloe, D Morrissey, S Finn; C Coughlan, D Hannon, K Hayes; D O’Donovan, R Hanley; C O’Neill, C Lynch, T Morrissey; D Reidy, S Flanagan, D O’Connell.

Subs: R English for Finn (35 temp), D Byrnes for Coughlan, A Gillane for O’Connell, W O’Donoghue for Hanley (all h-t), G Mulcahy for Reidy (58), C Boylan for O’Neill (54).

CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, D O’Leary, S O’Donoghue; T O’Mahony, M Coleman, C Joyce; G Millerick, D Fitzgibbon; R O’Flynn, S Barrett, M Keane; S Kingston, P Horgan, C Lehane.

Subs: C Cahalane for Keane (40), J O’Connor for Lehane (46), C O’Brien for N O’Leary (56, temporary), A Connolly for Horgan (61), S Harnedy for Barrett (64), S Twomey for O’Flynn (65).

2019 Munster Championship: 

Limerick 1-19 Cork 1-26

After being beaten at home to Tipp in the 2019 championship opener, Cork produced a ferocious performance in the Gaelic Grounds, built on the excellence of Eoin Cadogan at full-back and the restoration of Mark Ellis to centre-back.

The hosts were actually 1-11 to 0-12 up at the break, courtesy of a Graeme Mulcahy goal, but were held to two second-half points from play.

With Daniel Kearney, Bill Cooper and Seamus Harnedy to the fore, Cork had moved ahead before Patrick Horgan's cool finish gave John Meyler's side the initiative. Alan Cadogan, Luke Meade and Declan Dalton clipped some super scores as Cork saved their season.

They'd end up finishing third in the group, exiting to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland quarter-final, with the Cats also taking down Munster champions Limerick only for Tipp to land Liam MacCarthy.

Scorers for Limerick: A Gillane 0-9 (0-8 f), G Mulcahy 1-4, D Byrnes, S Dowling 0-2 f each, K Hayes, T Morrissey 0-1 each.

Cork: P Horgan 1-9 (0-6 f), D Kearney, S Harnedy 0-4 each, A Cadogan 0-3, L Meade, D Dalton 0-2 each, D Fitzgibbon, C Lehane 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Finn, M Casey, R English; D Byrnes, D Hannon, D Morrissey; C Lynch, D O’Donovan; G Hegarty, K Hayes, Morrissey; P Casey, A Gillane, G Mulcahy.

Subs: S Flanagan for P Casey (55), S Dowling for Hegarty (56), B Murphy for Mulcahy (61), W O’Donoghue for O’Donovan (61), D Dempsey for Gillane (66).

CORK: A Nash; S O’Donoghue, E Cadogan, N O’Leary; R Downey, M Ellis, M Coleman; B Cooper, D Fitzgibbon; D Kearney, S Harnedy, L Meade; C Lehane, P Horgan, A Walsh.

Subs: A Cadogan for Lehane (6 inj), S McDonnell for O’Donoghue (h-t), C Joyce for Downey (53), S Kingston for Meade (61), D Dalton for Walsh (68). 

2019 League: 

Limerick 1-21 Cork 2-21

Cork headed into this February league meeting still smarting from their extra-time loss in the 2018 All-Ireland semi-final.

That extra bite was particularly telling in the opening half when Cork, with the breeze, opened the scoring after 35 seconds through Aidan Walsh and were 1-13 to 1-7 up by half-time, Patrick Horgan and Peter Casey with the goals.

John Meyler put faith in Robert Downey, then just 19, to match up with Gearoid Hegarty while Bride Rovers' Dan Dooley started wing-forward and clipped 0-2.

A Conor Lehane goal in the second half put Cork firmly in control and though Limerick hit six points in a row coming down the stretch, a pair of Cormac Murphy scores sealed the victory.

The Treat recovered to be crowned league winners for the first time since 1997.

Scorers for Limerick: P Casey 1-3, D Byrnes 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), S Dowling 0-6 (0-3 f), S Flanagan 0-2, G Hegarty, T Morrissey, C Lynch, G Mulcahy 0-1 each.

Cork: P Horgan 1-9 (0-9 f), C Lehane 1-1, D Dooley, S Harnedy, C Murphy, D Kearney 0-2 each, T O'Mahony (f), B Cooper, A Walsh 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: N Quaid; T Condon, S Finn, R English; D Byrnes, D Hannon, M O’Brien; C Lynch, D O’Donovan; G Hegarty, S Dowling, Morrissey; P Casey, S Flanagan, P Ryan. 

Subs: G Mulcahy for Ryan (48), B Murphy for Flanagan (56), K Hayes for T Morrissey (67), B Nash for O’Brien (69).

CORK: P Collins; S O’Donoghue, E Cadogan, S McDonnell; C Joyce, T O’Mahony, R Downey; C Murphy, B Cooper; D Kearney, S Harnedy, D Dooley; C Lehane, A Walsh, P Horgan.

Subs: J O’Connor for Dooley (60), C Cahalane for Downey (65).