CORK 0-24
LIMERICK 0-13
MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS
JOB done. Box ticked. Time to switch focus to the neighbours.
This 11-point win for Cork over Limerick in a tepid Munster SFC quarter-final was the same margin as their meeting at this stage of the competition last year.
The game, played in front of an attendance of 2042, was ended as a contest during a seven-minute spell in the first half, from the 24th to 31st minutes.
Limerick wing-forward Seán Clancy received his second yellow card after a high tackle on Mark Cronin, just three minutes after his first booking for a late challenge on Colm O’Callaghan. Brian Hurley scored the resulting free and that was followed by three two-pointers on the bounce for the Rebels. Two from Cronin. One from Hurley. Those seven points swelled Cork’s lead to 0-16 to 0-7 at half time, leading to a pretty uneventful second period.
Regardless, the focus now for John Cleary’s side is overcoming Division 1 league champions Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday week.
‘A win is a win,’ Cleary admitted.
‘Conditions were kind of difficult with the wind and everything. I thought we were flat there at the start and got two two-pointers that gave us a bit of a cushion. Then Limerick came back and I thought they knifed through us a bit too easily.
‘The sending off did change the game in that I think we played it a bit safer after that. We had an 11v10 going forward and I think we slowed it down a bit too much at times. Having said that, I think we managed the game well in the second half, without putting them away.’
It’s hard to learn anything from this game given the circumstances. Maybe Cork didn’t need to show ruthlessness given that they were against the wind with a man up in the second spell, but Cork need to be clinical when they go into battle with Kerry.
‘I’d have been happier if we did show more ruthlessness. When we were against that wind, they (Limerick) set up deep and it wasn’t that we could kick two-pointers then. Naturally enough, I’d have preferred if we were more ruthless but look, it was a lesson for us from previous games how we managed it and we didn’t kick it away. We didn’t go for the juggler with the chance of being turned over and going down the field. I would have been happy with the way we managed it in the second half,’ the Cork boss said.
Limerick opened the scoring through James Naughton but three scores on the trot from Cork had them 0-5 to 0-1 up – Paul Walsh’s point sandwiched two Brian O’Driscoll two-pointers.
The Division 4 champions roared back though as Peter Nash (2), Colm McSweeney and Paul Maher all worked the scoreboard. Yet again, Cork found it difficult to finish their goal chances. O’Driscoll was clean through after a pin-point pass from Eoghan McSweeney and quick thinking from Chris Óg Jones but the Carrigaline player dragged his shot wide. Similarly, Hurley had a clear sight of goal but decided to fist the ball over the bar instead.
Seán McDonnell pointed to extend the Cork lead before Walsh and O’Driscoll scored prior to the red-card. At that point, it was 0-9 to 0-6 but Limerick going a man down added to a 17-minute score drought for the Treaty was game-defining.
To their credit in the second half, the underdogs showed a bit of quality as Naughton and Emmett Rigter kicked two-pointers. However, O’Callaghan, Jones, Cathail O’Mahony and Matty Taylor all made the scoreboard tick for a comfortable Cork win.
Scorers
Cork: Brian O’Driscoll (2tp), Mark Cronin (2tpf, 2f) 0-6 each; Brian Hurley 0-4 (1tp); Paul Walsh, Colm O’Callaghan 0-2 each; Seán McDonnell, Chris Óg Jones, Matty Taylor, Cathail O’Mahony 0-1 each.
Limerick: James Naughton 0-7 (2tpf, 1f); Peter Nash (1f), Emmett Rigter (tp) 0-2 each; Colm McSweeney, Paul Maher 0-1 each.
Cork: Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers); Seán Brady (Ballygarvan), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Neil Lordan (Ballinora); Brian O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Matty Taylor (Mallow), Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); Paul Walsh (Kanturk), Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), Seán McDonnell (Mallow); Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Brian Hurley (captain, Castlehaven), Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire).
Subs: Seán Powter (Douglas) for R Maguire (ht); Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues) for E McSweeney (46); Cathail O’Mahony (Mitchelstown) for B Hurley (51); Conor Cahalane (Castlehaven) for P Walsh (63); Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty) for N Lordan (65).
Limerick: Josh Ryan; Diarmuid Buckley, Colm McSweeney, Mark McCarthy; Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett, Paul Maher; Emmett Rigter, Tommy Childs; Rob Childs, James Naughton, Seán Clancy; Darragh Ó Siochrú, Peter Nash, Cillian Fahy (captain).
Subs: Jason Hassett for B Coleman (45); Darragh O’Hagan for C Fahy, Tadhg Ó Siochrú for R Childs (both 52); Danny Neville for D Ó Siochrú (56); Jamie Baynham for P Nash (63); Darragh Murray for T Childs (temp, 68-ft).
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
