Cork 3-17 Limerick 0-8
THREE GOALS IN eight first-half minutes all but sealed a facile championship win for Cork in this Munster SFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds this evening.
The Rebels trotted in at the break well in control — with the scores 3-4 to 0-3 — knowing they had done enough to progress without ever really impressing.
Cork didn’t find the net in the second period but tacked on over a dozen points while holding a poor Limerick side to just five points. The Leesiders’ chief Conor Counihan will look for improvement from his side however as, despite the scoreline, never hit top gear on Shannonside.
The Rebels could have been out of sight but for wasteful finishing from the likes of Daniel Goulding and Ciaran Sheehan in front of goal early on. The did eventually raise a green flag after 24 minutes or so when a long delivery in from Goulding was ultimately punched to the net by Castlehaven man Brian Hurley, on his debut.
Then just before half-time, Goulding was involved again as John O’Rourke eventually scrambled home after good work from Paul Kerrigan. Pearse O’Neill then stormed through to add a third quick-fire goal and all but put the tie to bed before the half-time break.
Daniel Cahalane was arguably the best player on the pitch throughout while there was a late call up for former Antrim player James Loughrey. He replaced the injured Eoin Cadogan to make his championship debut for the Rebels while Alan O’Connor started in Aidan Walsh’s place.
Limerick now have six weeks to regroup before the All-Ireland qualifiers and Maurice Horan may well need all of that lay-off to turn his side’s summer around.
CORK: Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown); James Loughrey (Mallow), Michael Shields (St Finbarr’s), Damien Cahalane (Castlehaven); Paudie Kissane (Clyda Rovers), Graham Canty (Bantry Blues), Tomas Clancy (Fermoy); Alan O’Connor (St. Colum’s), Pearse O’Neill (Aghada); Ciaran Sheehan (Éire Óg), Patrick Kelly (Ballincollig), John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers); Daniel Goulding (Éire Óg), Brian Hurley (Castlehaven), Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers).
Subs: David Lordan (Ballincollig), John McLoughlin (Kanturk), Noel O’Leary (Cill na Martra), James Loughrey (Mallow), Alan O’Connor (St Colm’s), Andrew O’Sullivan (Castletownbere), James Fitzpatrick (Carbery Rangers), Fintan Goold (Macroom), Liam Shorten (Ballingeary), Mark Collins (Castlehaven), Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond).
LIMERICK: Donal O’Sullivan (Monaleen); Andrew Lane (St. Senan’s), Johnny McCarthy (St Kieran’s), Mark O’Riordan (Croom); Stephen Lavin (Adare), Paudie Browne (Fr Casey’s), Pa Ranahan (Ballysteen); Bobby O’Brien (Bruff), John Galvin (Croom); John Riordan (Fr Casey’s), Thomas Lee (Ballylanders), Seanie Buckley (Dromcollogher-Broadford); Ger Collins (Monaleen), Iain Corbett (Newcastlewest), Eoghan O’Connor (St Mary’s/Sean Finns).
