Limerick begin All-Ireland defence with thumping win over Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh

Limerick are off to a winning start in the Munster Championship Round Robin after seeing off Cork on a 2-25 to 1-17 scoreline at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Kyle Hayes, operating at full forward, and Aaron Gillane first half goals helped Limerick through after a slow start to the game.

But Limerick, with six from Diarmaid Byrnes soon found their imperious best to power home to an impressive victory.

Cork got off to a glorious start with a Shane Kingston goal after just 13 seconds after an excellent team move that was immediately followed up by a Shane Barrett point. 

A sixth minute free from Patrick Horgan increased Cork’s lead to five before Diarmaid Byrnes got Limerick on the board with a long range free. Limerick had hit three wides into a strong breeze at that stage. Byrnes then landed an excellent one from play and another free to get Limerick into the contest. 

Barry Nash then cut Cork’s gap to the minimum but Horgan’s second placed ball of the half saw the Rebels go two in front once more. 

However, Limerick hit the front for the first time when Kyle Hayes ghosted away from his marker and fired into the back of the net, similar finish to the stunning goal against Tipperary in last year’s Munster Final.

Darragh Fitzgibbon and Gearoid Hegarty then swapped points that saw the score at 1-5 to 1-4 in Limerick’s favour after 20 minutes.

Efforts from Robbie O’Flynn and Tim O’Mahony put Cork back into the lead and then another Horgan free saw them two to the good.

Tom Morrissey then put three poor wides behind him with a well taken score from the left wing before Hegarty landed his second point to level the game for a third time.

Horgan and Aaron Gillane swapped frees but there was more to come from the Patrickswell ace as he fired low past Patrick Collins for Limerick’s second goal. 

Limerick forced a turnover and Hayes popped a simple pass to Gillane who made no mistake when clean through on goal.

Cian Lynch stretched Limerick’s lead to four with a superb point from the sideline but Cork nearly got in for a second goal when Fitzgibbon set up Cahalane, only for William O’Donoghue and Quaid to intervene. Half time score: 2-9 to 1-8 in Limerick’s favour.

Cork were soon level when they nailed the first four points of the half but Limerick responded through Byrnes and Gillane to go two in front once again.

Limerick were quickly back to their half time advantage with points from Hayes and Dan Morrissey. Horgan responded for Cork but Hegarty’s third of the game saw Limerick 2-15 to 1-13 ahead after 46.

That advantage was soon at seven thanks to an outrageous Lynch score from his knees, a Gillane free and an inspirational Declan Hannon point.

Limerick continued to dominate the final quarter with Cathal O’Neill scoring his first points in senior Munster Championship action that helped John Kiely’s men to a 2-25 to 1-17 win.

Scorers – Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-4 (2f), Diarmaid Byrnes 0-6 (3f), Kyle Hayes 1-1, Gearoid Hegarty 0-3, Barry Nash, Cian Lynch and Cathal O’Neill 0-2 each, Tom Morrissey, Dan Morrissey, Declan Hannon, Pat Ryan and David Reidy 0-1 each

Scorers – Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-9 (7f), Shane Kingston 1-0, Shane Barrett, Robbie O’Flynn and Conor Lehane 0-2 each, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O’Mahony 0-1 each.

Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon (Captain), Barry Nash; Darragh O’Donovan, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Kyle Hayes, Graeme Mulcahy.

Subs: Cathal O’Neill for T Morrissey (56), David Reidy for O’Donovan (60), Oisin O’Reilly for Hayes (63), Conor Boylan for Hegarty (69), Pat Ryan for Mulcahy (69).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Damian Cahalane, Sean O’Donoghue; Tim O’Mahony, Mark Coleman (Captain), Ciaran Joyce; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Ger Millerick; Robbie O’Flynn, Shane Barrett, Conor Cahalane; Shane Kingston, Patrick Horgan, Conor Lehane.

Subs: Seamus Harnedy for C Cahalane (h-t), Robert Downey for D Cahalane (53), Jack O’Connor for Kingston (55), Alan Connolly for Barrett (55), Luke Meade for Lehane (60).

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)