Cork ensure place in Munster U20 hurling knockout stages with two-point win over Limerick

They trailed as late as the 44th minute but Jack Leahy’s tally of 14 points (10 frees) and five from Diarmuid Healy set them right before Barry Walsh’s goal helped to seal a third win on the spin.

Limerick pushed hard and had a last-minute Tadhg Boddy goaled free to cut the deficit. The Rebels retained the puck-out to close out the victory, which leaves the visitors without a point and reliant on other results to give them a slim chance of progressing in the top three.

In the opening quarter, Limerick landed six consecutive dead balls from Oisín O’Farrell (0-5) and Cian Scully to just one Cork score in response to forge four ahead.

The hosts began to get more bodies around the breaking ball and with that supply, Healy and Leahy did heavy damage, combining for 0-11 in the first half.

O’Farrell’s seventh left it 0-14 to 0-12 at half-time; an 82% shot efficiency the key statistic for Cork.

That dipped sharply on the resumption and Limerick were back ahead in the 40th minute when Fintan Fitzgerald’s superb dummy allowed him to thread the ball into an unguarded net. 1-15 to 0-16.

Cork rose to the challenge by necklacing the next 1-6 without reply; the 50th-minute goal punishing a Limerick giveaway as substitutes Adam O’Sullivan and Barry Walsh combined.

There was still six in the difference entering stoppage time as two close-range Scully frees were saved by Paudie and Darragh O’Sullivan, while the keeper also tipped over Vince Harrington’s bullet.

Boddy’s late free came too late to rescue a winner.

Scorers – Cork: J Leahy 0-14 (10f); D Healy 0-5; Barry Walsh 1-0; W Buckley 0-2; C Tobin, Ben Walsh, T O’Connell, E O’Leary 0-1 each. Limerick: O O’Farrell 0-9 (6f, 1 65); F Fitzgerald 1-2; T Boddy 1-0 (f); C Scully (2f), S O’Brien 0-3 each; V Harrington, R O’Farrell, H Flanagan 0-1 each.

Cork: P O’Sullivan; D Cashman, K Lyons, D O’Sullivan; J Dwyer, Ó O’Regan, C Tobin; M Finn, Ben Walsh; D Cremin, T O’Connell, D Healy; W Buckley, J Leahy, E O’Leary. Subs: Barry Walsh for O’Leary (44), A O’Sullivan for Finn (48), P O’Shea for Ben Walsh (51), T Wilk for Tobin (54), R O’Sullivan for O’Connell (58).

Limerick: P Connery; M Fitzgibbon, D Langan, D Fitzgerald; V Harrington, S Casey, C Scully; J Fitzgerald, M Fitzgerald; H Flanagan, C Hayes, R O’Farrell; F Fitzgerald, S O’Brien, O O’Farrell. Subs: W Dore for M Fitzgibbon (h-t), D Ferland for R O’Farrell (46), J Fitzgibbon for M Fitzgerald (52), T Boddy for Hayes (55), B Adams for J Fitzgerald (56).

Referee: A Tierney (Tipperary).