Limerick are through, Tipperary are through. Clare are out. A sold out TUS Gaelic Grounds. The Treaty faithful answered the calls from John Kiely.
A win for Limerick next week, or indeed a draw, against now dethroned All Ireland holders Clare, will see Limerick into a Munster final – in fact – they may get there regardless.
This was a performance like few we’ve seen from John Kiely’s men. They were simply stunning and raced into a 15-point interval lead.
Cian Lynch, dazzling, sharp and effective. Kyle Hayes, Man of the Match, assured and measured at centre-back. Then you had Adam English, Aaron Gillane and Tom Morrissey who punished Cork’s lethargic approach.
Gillane’s early goal set the tone and when Nicky Quaid denied Patrick Horgan just after the quarter-hour, Limerick were ruthless.
Lynch, when a point looked likely, adjusted and fed English. He raced clear of the Rebel cover and blasted to the net. There was to be no Cork revival. They had a second half goal from a bullet from Horgan but as well as losing Declan Dalton to injury, too many failed to fire.
This, their lowest scoring total in a championship game since 2016. They will need a draw or win against Waterford in what is now a knock-out contest on Leeside next Sunday.
Limerick within touching distance of yet another Munster final.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-7 (0-6 frees); Tom Morrissey 0-5; Adam English 1-2; Gearoid Hegarty 0-3, Cathal O’Neill, Peter Casey 0-2; Shane O’Brien, Mike Casey, Cian Lynch, David Reidy, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-9 (0-8 frees); Seamus Harnedy 0-2; Mark Coleman, Rob Downey, Brian Hayes, Shane Barrett, Brian Roche 0-1 each.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, William O’Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O’Brien, David Reidy.
Subs: Darragh O’Donovan for O’Donoghue (37 – 39 blood); Seamus Flanagan for O’Brien (51); Cathal O’Neill for Tom Morrissey (51); Peter Casey for Reidy (59); Colin Coughlan for M Casey (67), Aidan O’Connor for Byrnes (68); Barry Murphy for D Morrissey (head inj – 73).
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue; Ciarán Joyce, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Ethan Twomey; Declan Dalton, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.
Subs: Brian Roche for Dalton (inj – 7); Cormac O’Brien for R Downey, Seamus Harnedy for E Twomey (both half-time); Damien Cahalane for O’Leary (inj 55); Robbie O’Flynn for Connolly (65).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).
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