Limerick 0-19 Cork 1-16

By John Keogh ( Irish Examiner )

A late Darragh Flynn free earned Cork a 0-19 to 1-16 draw with Limerick at the end of a highly entertaining Munster MHC tie at LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Flynn was the hero for John Considine’s men as he hit six frees in the last 13 minutes to pull back a Limerick side that looked set earn a win from their opening game. Cathal O’Neill was a star of the Limerick side that reached the Munster Final in 2018 and was again central to the Treaty cause with a haul of 0-10. O’Neill and Daniel Hogan traded points in the opening minutes but 1-1 from Flynn in the space of three minutes put Cork in full control. 

Jack Cahalane brilliantly took Colin Walsh’s low delivery, before offloading to Flynn, who then fired past a helpless Jack Franklin for the game’s only goal.

Cork extended their advantage through Flynn and Paul O’Riordan but Limerick hit back through three O’Neill who landed scores in a row. Further efforts from Aidan O’Connor and Patrick Reale saw Limerick level in the 22 minute at 0-7 to 1-4. O’Neill and Flynn traded points once more in the run up to half time but it was Limerick that went ahead going into the break thanks to a fine effort on the run from O’Connor. O’Neill’s sixth point of the afternoon extended Limerick’s advantage to two points on the game’s resumption but Colin Walsh and Ethan Twomey soon saw the contest level for the third time. However, Limerick then hit a bit of a purple patch with O’Connor and two fine strikes from full forward Adam English putting them 0-13 to 1-7 ahead eight minutes into the second half. Flynn arrested the slide for Cork but O’Neill’s immediate response from a free kept the Rebels at arm’s length. English and O’Neill then put Limerick five clear and seemingly out of sight as the game entered the final stages a Cork side that looked dead on their feet. However, there was a sting in the tail and it was Flynn who delivered it. The centre-forward hit four frees in a row to cut Limerick’s lead to one. O’Neill did give Limerick some breathing space but Daniel Hogan and Flynn levelled the contest for a fourth time in added time.

O’Neill’s ninth free of the game looked to have edged it for Limerick but a Flynn free from inside his own ’65 gave Cork a dramatic draw.

Scorers for Limerick: C O’Neill (0-10, 9 frees), A O’Connor (0-4), A English (0-3), D Hegarty and P Reale (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: D Flynn (1-10, 8 frees, 1 ’65) D Hogan (0-2), C Walsh, P O’Riordan, E Twomey and J Carr (0-1 each).

LIMERICK: J Franklin; R Lyons, M Keane, F O’Connor; J Quilty, EHurley, C Coughlan; A Murrihy, P Kirby; P Reale, D Hegarty, C O’Neill; A O’Connor, A English, P O’Donovan.

Subs: L Lynch for O’Donovan (49), C Casey for Reale (50), C Hanley Clarke for Murrihy (58).

CORK: B Saunderon; C O’Brien, C McCarthy, S Kingston; C McCarthy, C Joyce, B O’Sullivan; E Twomey, L Horgan; C Walsh, D Flynn, D Hogan; C McCarthy, J Cahalane, P O’Riordan.

Subs: L Doocey for Cian McCarthy (24), J Carr for O’Riordan (41), I Walsh for Colm McCarthy (44), L Mulroy Quiligan for Kingston (49), S Walsh for C Walsh (59).

Ref: P Kelly (Tipperary)