A fantastic effort eventually came to nothing as Limerick’s minor footballers lost to Cork on a 1-17 to 0-13 in the Munster Final in Thurles.
Kevin Denihan’s charges led by a point in the 52nd minute but were hit by an eight-point whirlwind from The Rebels that ultimately saw them to victory.
Darragh Murray played a captain’s role in scoring 0-8 but Cork’s Hugh O’Connor was the star man on show, finishing with an impressive 1-7, 1-5 from play that ultimately proved crucial.
O’Connor was fast out of the blocks as he had 1-1 scored within four minutes. A free opened the scoring and then the Cork corner forward scored a magnificent goal.
Limerick responded with a Ruairi Cronin point before O’Connor was denied a second goal thanks to a superb Craig MacInnes save.
Ruairi O’Duinn then got Limerick to within two points at the first water break with a fine individual score. That gap was soon at one point when Murray knocked over the first of seven frees.
That ushered in an impressive response from Cork with O’Connor (2) and Michael McSweeney kicking points that saw them into a 1-4 to 0-3 advantage.
Murray kicked another free to reduce their lead but further scores from Jack O’Neill and Colm Gillespie saw Cork well in control. Sean Geraghty got the last score of the half for Limerick that saw the score at 1-6 to 0-5.
Dan Twomey stretched Cork’s lead to five early in the second half but Emmet Rigter, Murray and Geraghty hit the target to reduce that led to just two points.
O’Connor settled Cork’s nerves with another score but three further Murray frees saw the game all square for the first time.
Limerick’s captain then put his side in front ahead of the second water break but Cork finished strongly with two points each from O’Connor and Jamie O’Driscoll, as well as Sam Copps, Rory O’Shaughnessy, Luke O’Herlihy and Dylan Crowley broke Limerick hearts.
Scorers – Limerick: Darragh Murray 0-8 (7f), Sean Geraghty 0-2, Ruairi Cronin, Conall O’Duinn and Emmet Rigter 0-1 each.
Limerick: Craig MacInnes; Michael Kilbridge, Jamie Behan, Darragh Clifford; Lorcan Murphy, Aaron Neville, Stephen Kiely; Jack Somers, Darragh Murray; Marc Nolan, Emmet Rigter, Oisin O’Farrell; Sean Geraghty, Ruairi Cronin, Conall O’Duinn.
Subs:Patrick Kennedy for Cronin (h-t), Ronan Quirke for Nolan (41), Callum Boyle for Murphy (50), Shane Cross for Geraghty (63), Jack Ryan for Kiely (64).
The full match is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn7c64JZsJM&t=1s
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