Cork delivered the goods in extra time this evening to see off Limerick by 2-29 to 0-21 and move into Wednesday week’s Munster U20 hurling championship final.
Having surrendered a six-point lead to their opponents, the Rebels hit top gear in the extra periods at the LIT Gaelic Grounds to outscore the hosts by 1-15 to 0-4 and cement their place in the provincial final which takes place two days before Christmas.
For Cork it could well be one for the history books, as they scored more in extra time (1-15) than they did in regulation time (1-14).
Alan O’Connor hit the last four points in normal time to salvage a 0-17 to 1-14 draw for Limerick, but Cork’s substitutes were the story here as they combined for 1-12 to secure the resounding win in the end.
Shane Barrett’s goal after two minutes helped see the Leesiders lead by 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time before Limerick had the deficit down to three come the second water break.
Missed chances hurt the Rebels after that and O’Connor was able to hold his nerve to force extra time for the Treaty men.
From there, it was largely one-way traffic and the tone was set for Cork by back-to-back sideline scores from Colin O’Brien.
The Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels sharpshooter would add a third for good measure as his side led by 1-22 to 0-19 at the interval and the scores kept coming with Brian Hayes’s goal helping round off the relentless 20-minute display.
The result seals Cork’s passage into the Munster U20HC final against either Waterford or Tipperary, who play next Tuesday, on December 23rd.
Cork - E Davis; C O’Callaghan, E Roche, A Walsh Barry; D Connery (0-4f), C Joyce, D O’Leary; S Quirke, T O’Connell (0-2, 1f); E Carey, S Twomey, B Roche (0-2); S Barrett (1-3), A Connolly (0-6, 4f), J Cahalane. Subs: B O’Sullivan (0-1f) for S Twomey, B Hayes (1-4) for E Carey, P Power for J Cahalane, D Flynn for T O’Connell, S O’Regan (0-2) for S Quirke, Colin O’Brien (0-5, 3sl) for B Roche, Cormac O’Brien for C Joyce, F Denny for C O’Callaghan.
Limerick - J Gillane; B Herlihy, B O’Grady, J Quilty; M Quinlan, C Ryan (0-3f), C Coughlan; K Bonnar, J Considine (0-1); C Downes, D O’Shea (0-2, 1f), J Ryan; B Nix (0-1), C O’Neill (0-5), A O’Connor (0-8, 7f). Subs: M Keane for K Bonnar, M McCarthy (0-1) for D O’Shea, S Long for J Ryan, D O’Leary for C Downes, C Carroll for J Considine, J Considine for M Quinlan, B Purcell for B Nix, J Nicholas for A O’Connor.
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