The hurling game between Cork and Limerick defied all expectations and was not like anything witnessed before. In a remarkable game, Cork managed to hit a goal and a point in the closing moments of the stoppage time, emerging victorious from a nail-biting match, after being eight points down. This ended the All-Ireland champion Limerick’s undefeated record, marking their first championship loss in a year. What made this game unforgettable were its breath-taking, relentless, and tense moments that were beyond comprehension.
At the end of the match, thousands of Cork fans ecstatically swarmed the pitch in celebration. ‘Glory Days’ by Bruce Springsteen played over the loudspeakers. Though it was just a group match and Cork’s future in the championship hangs in balance till their next play off with Tipperary at Semple Stadium, it did not dampen the triumphant mood.
Pat Ryan, expressing a sense of incredible relief, said, “We’re tired of discussing meaningless wins. Over the past two years, we’ve had plenty of those but we displayed tremendous spirit to secure a win against a strong team that doesn’t easily give up. We knew that even when we were leading by seven-eight points, a comeback was likely. And we responded to each of their scores in kind.
“A testament to their five All-Ireland titles, it took everything out of our team to secure this victory, which will undoubtedly boost our confidence. In eight days, we’ll face Tipperary. Our victory over Limerick will be worthless if we can’t triumph over Tipperary. Even then, it might not guarantee our progression, but we need victories, and it was essential to win this one.”
Meanwhile, this defeat calls for some introspection for Limerick. Having been dominated in the first half, they took control post half-time. Victory seemed assured for Limerick when Gearoid Hegarty scored a point with 13 minutes to spare. Despite having recovered from a nine-point deficit in the season, they couldn’t repeat the feat against Cork.
Cork’s team, renowned for their tenacity and grit during challenging times, certainly didn’t disappoint. Everyone turned their attention to them as they mustered the energy to score five out of the six final points. Their persistence, even when facing a wall of adversity, demonstrated their spirit and unwavering courage in the face of adversity.
A penalty that gave Cork the leading edge occurred when Shane Kingston was tackled outside the large rectangle – an action deemed by Referee Sean Stack to be denying a potential goal. Patrick Horgan expertly took the penalty shot, securing the goal at the top corner. Shortly after, Cork re-established possession from a Limerick puck-out and passed the ball towards the wing. Here, Shane Barrett was fouled and Horgan once again stepped up to hit a free-kick. The ball was snagged by Brian Hayes, who swiftly sent it beyond the bar. Cue exhilaration, game over.
The first half was a whirlwind of awe-inspiring play. Cork delivered an impressive performance unseen since the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final, pushing Limerick to its limits with rampant speed and aggression. For the first 20 minutes, they had Limerick on the ropes, with Limerick seeming worryingly flat-footed and lacklustre.
Remarkably, Cork was calling the shots throughout the match. Breaking away from the time-honoured best practice against Limerick, they frequently favoured long puck-outs and almost always maintained possession. The Cork strategy relied heavily on constant movement, taking advantage of what they believed was a susceptible Limerick defence. The Limerick defence was put through their paces as Cork never skipped a beat to put their speed to the test. Seamus Harnedy exploited the unusually sizable gap between Limerick full-backs and half-backs, cruising in that extra room without obstruction.
After scarcely five minutes, a goal by Seamus Harnedy put Cork ahead, and within 14 minutes, they’d increased their lead to 1-9 against Limerick’s 0-4. Gaining a significant amount of possession, Harnedy and Shane Barrett dominated at the midfield. Despite the absence of their top defender, Ciaran Joyce, the Cork defence demonstrated unexpected resilience. Robert Downey, Sean O’Donoghue, Niall O’Leary, and Mark Coleman stood out with their stellar performances.
However, without displaying their standard levels of efficiency and force, Limerick steadily entered the game, capitalising on a few mistakes from Cork. One such mistake culminated in Limerick’s first goal following a careless pass from O’Donoghue. The point was there for the taking, yet Aaron Gilliane spotted an opportunity for a goal. Distracting a few Cork defenders, he passed to Seamus Flanagan who scored promptly.
Cork, however, came back strong. A long puck-out from Collins found its way to Harnedy who passed it to Barrett. His low shot led to a goal. Cork could have earned two more goals if not for the impressive saves by Limerick’s Nickie Quaid, especially a close call by Brian Hayes.
By halftime, Cork led by eight points, showing a scoreboard of 2-15 versus Limerick’s 1-10. The dynamics changed in the second half as Limerick tightened their grip and made a comeback against Cork. Collins’ long puck-outs failed to secure the same level of possession as they did in the first half due to the wind against them.
In a thrilling turn of events, Limerick reduced the points gap to just four, only for Cork to again surge ahead by seven. But the tide of the match had turned. Gearoid Hegarty launched an impressive attack, contributing two goals to Flanagan’s notable hat-trick. Cathal O’Neill also put on an exceptional performance in the second half, catching Cork in a chokehold as time ticked away.
Against all odds, Cork wriggled free. The breathtaking ride continues. Praise be.
Featuring for Cork were: P Collins, N O’Leary, E Downey, S O’Donoghue, T O’Mahony, R Downey, M Coleman, E Twomey, D Fitzgibbon, D Dalton, S Harnedy, S Barrett, P Horgan, A Connolly, and B Hayes. Used substitutes were D Cahalane, B Roche, G Mellerick, S Kingston, and T O’Connell.
Representing Limerick were: N Quaid, S Finn, D Morrissey, B Nash, D Byrnes, D Hannon, K Hayes, W O’Donoghue, C O’Neill, G Hegarty, C Lynch, T Morrissey, A Gillane, S Flanagan, and D Reidy. Substitutes called upon included F O’Connor, A English, C Boylan, A O’Connor, and O Dalaigh.
Referee of the match was Sean Stack from Dublin.
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