Two injury-time points from Man of the Match Jonathan O’Callaghan and Cork midfielder Tom Kenny saw the Leesiders take victory over hosts Limerick by 0-14 to 1-09 in their Allianz NHL Division 1B clash at the Gaelic Grounds.
In icy cold conditions, Cork repeated their one-point win over Limerick in last season’s league, relying on a first-half tally of eleven points, including scores from O’Callaghan and late call-up Seanie McGrath to race into a seven-point lead at the interval.
The visitors hit the first three scores of the game – two points from half forward O’Callaghan (1 45’) and a well lofted effort from Timmy McCarthy from 60 metres out, with Johnny Meskell and John Paul King replying for Limerick.
O’Callaghan and McGrath ran up Cork’s 0-11 tally before Niall Moran began the second half with a Limerick point. Just 13 minutes after the restart, full forward Pat Tobin found himself in enough space to guide a rising shot past Donal Óg Cusack in the Cork goal.
Three points in a row off the hurl of Limerick’s Andrew O’Shaughnessy brought the sides level at 1-09 to 0-12, but new Limerick boss Pat Joe Whelahan was confined to defeat in his first competitive game in charge as O’Callaghan and Kenny scored from 25 and 35 metres out nearing the whistle.
Filed by Aidan O'Doherty
