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Munster SHC: Epic encounter finishes level

Conor Lehane, Cork, and Dan Morrissey, Limerick, in action at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Conor Lehane, Cork, and Dan Morrissey, Limerick, in action at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

CORK 1-25 LIMERICK 0-28

By Denis Hurley at Pairc Ui Chaoimh

For the second week in a row, Cork were denied victory with an injury-time equaliser as Kyle Hayes was the Limerick hero at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Having been reduced to 14 men with Aaron Gillane’s first-half dismissal, Limerick battled valiantly in the second half, but looked to have flagged as four Cork points, two from Darragh Fitzgibbon and one each by Patrick Horgan and Conor Lehane, put them 1-24 to 0-26 in front.

When Diarmaid Byrnes equalised with a long-range Limerick free, Horgan again replied, bringing his tally to 1-11, but Hayes was on hand when a loose clearance fell to him.

The first half saw 26 points, Cork slightly edging things as they got 14 of them having weathered an early Limerick storm.

The visitors suffered two important losses in that opening period, with captain Declan Hannon having to retire injured after just seven minutes, when Aaron Gillane was sent off on 26, having been adjudged to have struck Cork corner-back Seán O’Donoghue.

Hannon’s departure came in the midst of a four-point Cork burst, having fallen 0-3 to 0-1 behind as Cian Lynch, Graeme Mulcahy and Séamus Flanagan scored for Limerick.

Daniel Kearney’s point, well set-up by Conor Lehane, kick-started Cork’s surge, with Shane Kingston, Patrick Horgan and Darragh Fitzgibbon on target too, but they were never able to fully escape Limerick’s clutches, even after the Treatymen’s reduction to 14 men.

The sending-off came after Cork had responded to going 0-8 to 0-7 down with scores from Horgan (two) and Kearney, and Kingston made it 0-11 to 0-8 following Gillane’s dismissal.

Cork readjusted by moving Mark Coleman to play as the spare man and he was on target to make it 0-12 to 0-9 after Tom Morrissey – having taken over the frees from Gillane – had converted.

As half-time approached, Cork had moved 0-13 to 0-10 in front after Darragh Fitzgibbon’s point and the midfielder might have had a goal chance but his partner Bill Cooper’s intended handpass to him trickled out.

Neverthless, with a 0-14 to 0-12 lead and an extra man, Cork looked set to push on, especially when Horgan scored his sixth point to open the second-half scoring. However, Limerick were not for lying down and were level through Tom Morrissey, Cian Lynch and Graeme Mulcahy. While Horgan responded with a Cork goal when Séamus Harnedy found him in space, Limerick didn’t wilt, with Flanagan in excellent form as he scored three points in quick succession with Darragh O’Donovan getting another as they moved 0-21 to 1-18 in front by the 51st minute.

When Horgan replied for Cork, Limerick had another three in row, Tom Morrissey, Cian Lynch and Kyle Hayes scoring. Slowly Cork got on top and they looked to have done enough, but Limerick had other ideas.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-11 (8fs, 165), Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-4, Conor Lehane 0-3, Daniel Kearney and Shane Kingston 0-2 each, Luke Meade, Mark Coleman, and Colm Spillane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: Tom Morrissey 0-8 (5fs), Séamus Flanagan 0-6, Cian Lynch 0-3, Darragh O’Donovan, Graeme Mulcahy, Diarmaid Byrnes (2fs), and Kyle Hayes 0-2 each, Gearóid Hegarty, Dan Morrissey, Aaron Gillane (f) 0-1 each.

CORK: Anthony Nash; Seán O’Donoghue, Damien Cahalane, Colm Spillane; Mark Ellis, Christopher Joyce , Mark Coleman; Darragh Fitzgibonn, Bill Cooper; Conor Lehane, Dean Brosnan, Daniel Kearney; Patrick Horgan, Séamus Harnedy, Shane Kingston.

Subs: Tim O’Mahony for O’Donoghue, Luke Meade for Brosnan (both half-time), Michael Cahalane for Kingston (60), Jamie Coughlan for Lehane (70).

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Seán Finn, Mike Casey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Darragh O’Donovan, Cian Lynch; Tom Morrissey, Kyle Hayes, Gearóid Hegarty; Séamus Flanagan, Aaron Gillane, Graeme Mulcahy.

Subs: William O’Donoghue for Hannon (7, injured), David Dempsey for Hegarty (55), Paul Browne for O’Donovan (61), Barry Murphy for Mulcahy (62), Pat Ryan for Flanagan (64).

REFEREE: James Owens (Wexford).