Cork retained their Munster U-20 hurling crown with an exhilarating win over Limerick in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this evening.
The Rebels looked to be cruising as they led by 1-22 to 0-19 entering the final quarter but Limerick found a way to come back into contention when Diarmuid Hegarty struck for a goal eight minutes from time to leave just three points between them.
Three frees from Cathal O'Neill, who shot 0-16 overall, then brought them level for the first time since the twenty-eighth minute and it looked as if the Treaty men had all the momentum.
However, Cork’s star forwards Darragh Flynn and Pádraig Power edged them clear again and while O’Neill reduced the deficit to the minimum again, a second point from substitute Ben Cunningham ensured a memorable victory for the Rebels.
The first half was a tame, but tight affair with the sides level on seven occasions. Limerick raced into a two-point lead with points from Hegarty and O’Neill before Power profited from a searching ball from Brian Hayes, rounding his man and goaling to give Cork the lead.
Further points from O’Neill and Adam English put the Treaty men back in front before three frees in a row from Cork’s Flynn gave the Rebels a 1-3 to 0-4 advantage.
Limerick, playing with the stiff breeze at their backs, began to look more comfortable then, as they outscored Cork by 0-7 to 0-2 across the next eight minutes. Senior starlet O’Neill had four more frees while Hegarty, Bryan Nix and Aidan O’Connor also found the range, Flynn and Robbie Cotter with the Cork scores.
From there to the break, however, Cork hit a purple patch. Three points from Flynn, two from Hayes and Power and one from Jack Cahalane were answered by three O’Neill frees to leave the Leesiders leading by 1-13 to 0-14 at the break.
The Rebels took off from where they left off on the resumption. Free-taker Flynn caught fire off play, nailing four points while Power (2), Cotter and Brain O’Sullivan also split the posts. Two scores from O’Neill and one each from O’Connor, English and O’Connor saw Limerick trailing by 1-22 to 0-19 at the water break.
They should have added to their goal tally in this period too, but a combination of excellent goalkeeping from Conor O’Neill and some stray passes kept Limerick in the game.
There was to be no denying a resurgent Cork however, and the Rebels will look to retain their All-Ireland title against Galway on the weekend of 8 August.
Cork: Cathal Wilson; Cormac O’Brien; Dáire O’Leary, Eoin Downey; Kevin Moynihan, Ciarán Joyce, Ethan Twomey; Sam Quirke, Brian O’Sullivan (0-1); Jack Cahalane (0-2), Darragh Flynn (0-12, 7f), Brian Hayes (0-2); Daniel Hogan, Robbie Cotter (0-2), Pádraig Power (1-5).
Subs: Ben Cunningham (0-2) for Hogan (42), Cillian O’Donovan for O Leary (inj, 49), Micheál Mullins for O’Sullivan (51), Luke Horgan for Cotter (52).
Limerick: Conor O’Neill; Chris Thomas, Pádraig Harnett, Michael Keane; Emmet Mc Evoy, Colin Coughlan, Cormac Ryan; Jimmy Quilty, Cathal Downes; Adam English (0-2), Cathal O’Neill (0-16, 15f), Diarmuid Hegarty (1-3); Ronan Fox, Aidan O’Connor (0-2), Bryan Nix (0-1).
Subs: Ethan Hurley for Ryan (32), Fergal O’Connor for Keane (40), Patrick Kirby for Downes (43), Eddie Stokes for Fox (52).
Referee: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary).
