AT THE end of an enthralling duel that took nearly 100 minutes and nine penalties to determine a winner, Limerick’s pursuit of a seventh Munster SHC title on the spin ended just as it began.
The defeat to Cork at the Gaelic Grounds in the 2019 opener was far from a portent of what was to come for the Treaty on the provincial stage.
But after making history last year by becoming Munster’s first six-in-a-row winners, they were finally overthrown by another loss to the Rebels at the same venue.
Just 20 days since they were annihilated by Limerick in the round-robin stage, Cork are kings of Munster for the first time in seven years.
The defending champions, who had never been beaten in their 14 previous major finals under John Kiely, came up short by the slimmest of margins.
In the first top-tier hurling final to be settled on penalties – which was witnessed by a crowd of 43,580 – there was never more than a puck of a ball between the teams.
Limerick initially had the upper hand in the shootout. Diarmaid Byrnes and Aaron Gillane aced their first two attempts, while Darragh Fitzgibbon was thwarted by Nickie Quaid with Cork’s first.
But the lead then shifted dramatically.
Barry Murphy fired wide for Limerick and Tom Morrissey was denied by Patrick Collins. In response, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston and Alan Connolly all converted for Cork.
Declan Hannon was then faced with a must-score effort.
However, the silverware will spend the next 12 months across the border after the man who captained Limerick to their six Mick Mackey Cups missed the target.
For the first time since Cork achieved the feat against Tipperary in Thurles in 2006, Munster champions were crowned on their opponent’s turf.
Pat Ryan’s side now have an All-Ireland semi-final ticket safely tucked away as they took a big step closer to atoning for last year’s Liam MacCarthy Cup final loss to Clare.
Limerick must head down the back-door route towards a quarter-final for the first time since 2018.
The input of referee Thomas Walsh is sure to draw considerable scrutiny when all is said and done.
Several calls by Waterford whistler, who had to retire injured in extra-time, left both sides with reasons to feel aggrieved.
But when Limerick conduct their post-mortem, the hitting of seven extra-time wides is sure to feature prominently.
That being said, Cork registered 16 – twice as many as the opposition – in normal time.
Mark Coleman and Séamus Harnedy set the tone for Cork as the visitors, playing with the aid of the wind, raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead inside the opening six minutes.
But with Tom Morrissey and Cian Lynch being afforded far too much space, Limerick were soon back on level terms.
Despite the looming presence of Kyle Hayes, Shane Barrett’s influence on proceedings began to grow.
And when Harnedy registered his second score of the game, Cork’s three-point lead was restored by the end of the first quarter.
Adam English, having already seen a shot saved by Patrick Collins, was then denied another goal chance by some good Eoin Downey defending.
But Downey should have done better just moments later Aidan O’Connor marked his first Championship start with the game’s opening goal.
The Ballybrown forward collected a ball from Lynch, before turning inside the All-Star full-back and beating Collins with a batted finish.
A 22nd-minute point from David Reidy then had Limerick ahead for the first time. However, Cork’s response was positive and they landed seven of the next ten scores.
The key contribution was made by Barrett, who found the net with a superb first-time finish after being teed up by Brian Hayes.
When Darragh Fitzgibbon pointed in the final minute of normal time at the end of the first half, Cork led by 1-14 to 1-9.
Thomas Walsh’s refereeing of the opening period was very much of the let-it-flow variety.
Much to the frustration of Rebels boss Pat Ryan, he gave Mike Casey the benefit of the doubt when he appeared to pull down Hayes as the men in red looked to stretch their lead before the break.
Limerick went up the other end to claim the last score of the half, as Cork’s advantage was cut to four points at the interval by Reidy’s third of the game.
Tempers then flared between the management tickets as members of both backroom teams jostled when Ryan approached Walsh to vent his ire.
Shane O’Brien, who had a point to prove after being dropped for O’Connor, wasted no time in doing so.
Within a few minutes of his introduction, the Kilmallock forward netted to bring Limerick level after availing of a brilliant Aaron Gillane assist.
Cork only had three Patrick Horgan frees to show for their efforts during a disjointed third quarter. But a gripping point-for-point slugfest unfolded thereafter.
Cork got their noses back five on five occasions, only for Limerick to restore parity each time.
The Leesiders had a let-off of their own too when Lynch appeared to be barged over by a push in the back from Rob Downey after Will O’Donoghue attempted to play the Limerick skipper through on goal.
Moments after Cork bemoaned a close-range Hayes effort being waved wide, the home side edged in front for the first time in the second half through a point from Darragh O’Donovan.
In the first of four minutes of additional time, a Horgan free evened the contest again. Both teams then squandered match-winning opportunities.
Gillane botched a free from a tricky angle and O’Donovan left an attempt short.
Cork had their chances too, as Robbie O’Flynn and Ciarán Joyce missed the target. Hayes also made a heroic block to deny Horgan.
There was still nothing to separate the sides at the midway point of extra-time after they traded three points apiece.
By then, a gruelling duel took its toll on ref Walsh, who had to be replaced by line umpire James Owens after going down with cramp.
With Kingston, Lehane and Tommy O’Connell contributing 0-6 in extra-time, Cork’s bench had a massive impact.
Kingston’s third point left them one in front but it looked like their chance was blown when Limerick regained the lead through Cathal O’Neill and Gillane, who nailed a free after O’Brien was brought down by Damien Cahalane.
One additional minute was signalled, yet the game was in its fourth when a chance of a leveller presented itself to Cork. When Fitzgibbon dropped a free into the square, it was spilled for a ‘65 by Quaid.
In a clutch moment, Fitzgibbon was not found wanting as he landed the score that set up the historic penalty shootout – and the most riveting of finales that Cork fans are unlikely to forget in a hurry.
CORK 1-30
LIMERICK 2-27
(AET)
Cork win 3-2 on penalties
CORK: P Collins; D Cahalane 0-1, S O’Donoghue, E Downey 0-1; C O’Brien, C Joyce, M Coleman; T O’Mahony 0-1, D Fitzgibbon 0-4, 1f, 1 ‘65; D Healy 0-3, S Barrett 1-3, S Harnedy 0-2; A Connolly 0-1, B Hayes 0-1, P Horgan 0-7, 4f.
Subs: R Downey for O’Brien 54 mins, T O’Connell 0-1 for O’Mahony 59, S Kingston 0-3 for Connolly 65, R O’Flynn for Harnedy 68, C Lehane 0-2 for Horgan 70+3, N O’Leary for O’Donoghue 72, B Roche for Healy 80, Connolly for Coleman 84.
LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Finn, D Morrissey, M Casey; D Byrnes 0-1f, K Hayes, B Nash; W O’Donoghue, A English 0-3; G Hegarty 0-2, C Lynch, T Morrissey 0-2; A O’Connor 1-1, A Gillane 0-9, 7f, D Reidy 0-3.
Subs: S O’Brien 1-2 for O’Connor 42 mins, P Casey 0-1 for Reidy 55, C O’Neill 0-1 for T Morrissey 55, D O’Donovan 0-1 for O’Donoghue 65, B Murphy for M Casey 71, D Hannon 0-1 for Byrnes 71, T Morrissey for Hegarty 79, S Flanagan for Lynch (temp) 90-92, Byrnes for Lynch 94.
REFEREE: T Walsh (Waterford)
