Hayes and Horgan goals steer Cork past Waterford to Munster SHC final showdown with Limerick
May 25, 2025
Cork's Patrick Horgan celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Waterford ©INPHO/James Crombie
Cork will play Limerick in the Munster senior hurling championship final on June 7th after battling past Waterford to a 2-25 to 1-22 victory at Pairc Ui Chaoimh this afternoon.
Having been trounced by Limerick last weekend, Pat Ryan’s men looked shaky in the early stages of this one before going on to edge a 0-13 to 0-12 lead at half-time.
A Brian Hayes goal within 20 seconds of the restart was exactly what the doctor ordered for the home side and Patrick Horgan’s free moved them five points ahead prior to the Deise men narrowing their deficit down to one again.
Stephen Bennett’s frees saw the visitors clawing it back to 1-14 to 0-16 before a Seamus Harnedy point would be backed up by a quick 1-1 from Horgan, with the Rebels’ marksman having the time and space to coolly finish to the net and put six between the sides.
The Rebels are through to the @MunsterGAA Hurling Final 🏆@OfficialCorkGAA 2-25@WaterfordGAA 1-22
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 25, 2025
Watch the highlights here 🎥 #CORVWAT pic.twitter.com/A9SD7mcA2c
Waterford weren’t going away though and goaled through Bennett before he hit the post in his side’s next attack, which proved a let off for the Division 1 champions.
After that, the points of Shane Kingston, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Conor Lehane helped to get Cork over the line towards a provincial final showdown with Limerick next Saturday week at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Meanwhile, already eliminated Clare scored their first win of the Munster SHC campaign by defeating a much-changed Limerick side (3-20 to 0-24) at the TUS Gaelic Grounds this afternoon.
The Banner men’s goals came from Mark Rodgers and Ryan Taylor (2) as they signed off with a win, finishing fourth in the table, as Cork now look to deny Limerick a seven-in-a-row success down south on June 7th while third-placed Tipperary are set to meet the losers of the Joe McDonagh Cup final (Kildare or Laois) in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals on the weekend of June 14/15.
Tweet🏑 Munster Table Set!
— The Premier 'View' (@PremierviewPod) May 25, 2025
Cork 🆚 Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds 🔥
Tipp 🇺🇦 finish 3rd — up next:
Loser of Laois 🟦 or Kildare ⚪ in Joe McDonagh Final
🗓️ June 14/15 | 📍Portlaoise or Newbridge#TippAbú #GAA2025 #MunsterHurling #JoeMcDonagh #CorkVsLimerick #AllIrelandSeries… pic.twitter.com/62giJIquAC
