Saturday’s fixtures
Munster Senior Hurling Final:
Full-time after extra-time: Cork 1-30 Limerick 2-27 (Cork win after a penalty shootout)–
Tailteann Cup:
Offaly 2-25 New York 1-12; Westmeath 3-26 Laois 1-15
“Cork are the new Munster hurling champions, an unexpected outcome that sent hordes of their delirious supporters, in a crowd of 43,580, on to the pitch at the Gaelic Grounds, as Robert Downey accepted the Mick Mackey Cup.
“Dismissed as having no more realistic ambitions than making inroads into the 16-point mauling suffered at the hands of Limerick less than three weeks previously, their understrength team rallied magnificently to confound the serial champions,” Seán Moran writes from the Gaelic Grounds.
Read his match report in full below:
[ Cork end Limerick’s Munster dominance after epic battle at the Gaelic GroundsOpens in new window ]
And that’s it from us for today. We’ll be back tomorrow for the Leinster decider.
Good night.
“Everything about it was staggering: the suffocating intensity, the twists, the spectacular scores and the crazy misses. Cork and Limerick were locked in a clench from teatime until shortly before bedtime and neither of them knew how to let go. The longest night in the history of the Munster Championship ended with a penalty shoot-out and a season set ablaze. Hallelujah,” Denis Walsh writes.
“After being eviscerated by Limerick in the round-robin phase, Cork reclaimed everything they had lost three weeks ago. All the doubts about their temperament and their stomach for the fight were obliterated. This group of Cork players couldn’t afford to fall over again. They stood up to everything Limerick could muster.”
Read the full piece below:
[ From the glorious chaos of the Gaelic Grounds, the Rebels rise againOpens in new window ]
Stay tuned for Seán Moran’s report from the Gaelic Grounds.
Okay, I’m logging out now for the night. Thanks for keeping us company today for what was a wonderful Munster SHC final. Huge credit to both Cork and Limerick for producing such a spectacle.
Over to you now tomorrow, Kilkenny and Galway!
Thanks folks, stay safe and keep hurling.
Phew.....that was something else. What a contest. There will be lots more news and reaction on irishtimes.com tonight and tomorrow. Seán Moran and Denis Walsh were at the Gaelic Grounds for us so we’ll have their reports online very soon.
Here are the thoughts of Pat Ryan after managing Cork to Munster glory.
This is not the end of Limerick, by any means. They will still have a huge say in the All-Ireland but for Cork to leave the Gaelic Grounds with the Mick Mackey Cup and having nailed down an All-Ireland semi-final spot is huge for their momentum and confidence.
Here is the moment Rod Downey raised the Mick Mackey Cup.
Freed From Desire pumping out from the PA system at the Gaelic Grounds, thousands of Cork fans on the pitch bouncing up and down and singing along. Brilliant scenes.
There it is....Rob Downey punches the sky with the Mick Mackey Cup. It’s ten minutes to nine on a Saturday night in June and Cork are Munster senior hurling champions once again.
It’s debatable whether a penalty shootout is the best way to produce a winner in a provincial final. The compact nature of the season forces fixtures to produce a winner on the day but it feels like that game in the Gaelic Grounds deserved a replay.
It’s unlikely to bother Cork right now though. They are still waiting to lift the cup, the field is full of Cork fans.
Limerick scored only two of their five penalties. Cork scored three of their four and didn’t need to take a fifth.
Declan Hannon.....WIDE
CORK ARE MUNSTER CHAMPIONS
Alan Connolly....GOAL
Limerick 2
Cork 3
One penalty left each
Tom Morrissey...SAVED by Patrick Collins
Limerick 2
Cork 2
Shane Kingston....GOAL
Limerick 2
Cork 2
Barry Murphy....WIDE
Limerick 2
Cork 1
Conor Lehane....GOAL
Limerick 2
Cork 1
Aaron Gillane....GOAL
Limerick 2
Cork 0
Darragh Fitzgibbon....SAVED by Nickie Quaid
Limerick 1
Cork 0
Diarmaid Byrnes with the first penalty.....GOAL
Limerick 1
Cork
Right, we are almost set. Limerick to strike first, it seems.
Wow, what a game that was. And now for penalties.
FULL-TIME AFTER EXTRA-TIME: Limerick 2-27 Cork 1-30
94mins: Limerick 2-27 Cork 1-30
Darragh Fitzgibbon shows nerves of steel to fire over a 65. It’s the last puck of the game. The game ends level.
A monster free from Cork drops short, bounces in front of Nickie Quaid, hits the Limerick goalkeeper and bobbles behind for a 65. Cork have one last chance to force penalties.
92mins: Limerick 2-27 Cork 1-29
Gillane scores.
Scoreable free for Limerick, you’d expect Gillane to put this over. 90 minutes are up.
89mins: Cork 1-29 Limerick 2-26
Cathal O’Neill levels it again. Penalties could be on the way.
87mins: Cork 1-29 Limerick 2-25
Shane Kingston with a great score to put Cork back in front. Kingston has made a huge impact.
85mins: Limerick 2-25 Cork 1-28
Tommy O’Connell replies for Cork. The sides have now been level 15 times.
85mins: Limerick 2-25 Cork 1-27
Shane O’Brien and Peter Casey both on target as Limerick now hit the front.
84mins: Cork 1-27 Limerick 2-23
Conor Lehane puts Cork in front. Great score by Lehane.
83mins: Limerick 2-23 Cork 1-26
Shane Kingston brings Cork back level. The teams have been level 13 times now.
83mins: Limerick 2-23 Cork 1-25
Gillane strikes the sliotar over the crossbar from a free to nudge Limerick back in front.
HALF-TIME IN EXTRA-TIME: Cork 1-25 Limerick 2-22
83mins: Cork 1-25 Limerick 2-22
Aaron Gillane nails a free to bring Limerick back level.
80mins: Cork 1-25 Limerick 2-21
Having waited eight minutes of extra-time for their first score, Cork have now hit three in quick succession - Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Kingston and Conor Lehane. They lead, playing against the wind.
Referee Thomas Walsh has gone down injured. He limps off the field and James Owens will take over with the whistle for the rest of the game.
Seán Moran’s full-time musings:
‘It’s extra time in the Gaelic Grounds. Both Limerick and Cork had chances to win in ordinary time but Robbie O’Flynn was wide for Cork at one end and then Darragh O’Donovan underhit a shot. Aaron Gillane was wide with a free from an acute angle. Leading by four at the break, Cork successfully protected their lead until the 47th minute when Gearóid Hegarty drove a quick free up the field for Gillane to get to the ball and deliver a kicked pass into replacement Shane O’Brien, who drove the equaliser into the net. From then on it was point for point, great defence by Kyle Hayes and Sean O’Donoghue and it all goes to extra time for the first time in three years.’
72mins: Limerick 2-21 Cork 1-22
Aaron Gillane scores from a free. Limerick now lead by two. The home side have the benefit of the wind in this first half of extra-time.
71mins: Limerick 2-20 Cork 1-22
Declan Hannon, with his first touch, sends over a long range point to put Limerick ahead at the start of extra-time. Hannon has been introduced for the start of extra-time.
That was breathless stuff, extra-time is going to be a real test for these players who have already emptied themselves for the cause during normal time.
Here is Shane O’Brien’s goal.
We are going to extra-time in the Gaelic Grounds. Limerick and Cork could not be separated in normal time.
FULL-TIME: Limerick 2-19 Cork 1-22
Aaron Gillane misses a 74th minute free from a tight angle out near the sideline.
72mins: Limerick 2-19 Cork 1-22
Horgan levels it...........could we be looking at extra-time. Four minutes added on. Just two remaining.
69mins: Limerick 2-19 Cork 1-21
Darragh O’Donovan, not long on the pitch, has just put Limerick ahead with the game in the last minute of normal time.
66mins: Cork 1-21 Limerick 2-18
Healy with a huge score for Cork but Hegarty responds with one of his own. Point for point, blow for blow, on they go. Nine times the teams have been level.
64mins: Cork 1-20 Limerick 2-17
Gillane replies immediately. It’s score for score right now.
64mins: Cork 1-20 Limerick 2-16
Eoin Downey, the Cork full back, comes up the field and scores his first ever championship score. What a time to open your account.
62mins: Cork 1-19 Limerick 2-16
Gillane sends over another free. Level again. This Munster final will go all the way to the final seconds, it appears.
60mins: Cork 1-19 Limerick 2-15
A wonderful point by Fitzgibbon. The Cork fans let out a massive roar as that one sails over the crossbar. The Rebels edge in front by one.
58mins: Cork 1-18 Limerick 2-15
Aaron Gillane taps over a close range free. Cian Lynch was fouled for the free. It’s all level again.
56mins: Cork 1-18 Limerick 2-14
Brian Hayes with a point for Cork.
Rob Downey has been introduced off the bench by Cork while Cathal O’Neill and Peter Casey have both come in for Limerick.
54mins: Cork 1-17 Limerick 2-14
O’Brien with a point now. That’s 1-1 for the sub. Level again.
53mins: Cork 1-17 Limerick 2-13
Horgan with another free, Cork edge ahead once more.
Seán O’Donoghue booked for throwing Gillane’s hurl away.
GOAL for Limerick. Shane O’Brien hits the back of the Cork net just minutes after his introduction from the bench.
47mins: Cork 1-16 Limerick 2-13
46mins: Cork 1-16 Limerick 1-13
Horgan pops over a straightforward free for Cork. Mike Casey booked after conceding the free.
43mins: Cork 1-15 Limerick 1-13
English with another point for Limerick. Good work by O’Brien in the build-up to the score.
Yellow card for David Reidy. And Shane O’Brien has just been introduced by Limerick, he replaces Aidan O’Connor.
Seán Moran’s half-time thoughts:
‘A tumultuous first half in Limerick ends with some disorder between the management teams and match officials, who quieten it down and return the teams to their dressingrooms. It has been a defiant 35 minutes from Cork, who have been unrecognisable from the team that meekly succumbed to the champions just three weeks previously. Competing far more vigorously, Pat Ryan’s team aren’t allowing their opponents anything like the same time on the ball. Shane Barrett has 1-3 to his name already from centre forward. Remember, this is an attack that mustered 0-3 from play across 70 minutes the last day. Half way through this final, they’re running at 1-10. Limerick haven’t been as devastating but Cian Lynch has provided good touches, including picking out full debutant Aidan O’Connor for Limerick’s goal. He took the ball in the right corner, ran at Eoin Downey and batted the ball past Patrick Collins at his near post to equalise in the 20th minute at 0-8 to 1-5. Seven minutes later, Barrett whipped in a ball, Brian Hayes did well to pop up for him. Points from Barrett, Patrick Horgan and Darragh Fitzgibbon rounded out the half. Cork have come to contest and Limerick will have to raise their game in the second half if they are to extend their record six successive titles to a seventh.’
40mins: Cork 1-15 Limerick 1-12
Gillane with a free. Three between the teams.
Cormac O’Brien and Gearóid Hegarty booked for an off the ball wrestling match.
37mins: Cork 1-15 Limerick 1-11
Pa Horgan sends over a free for Cork. They lead by four again.
36mins: Cork 1-14 Limerick 1-11
Limerick snap over the first score of the second half, Adam English putting the ball over the Cork crossbar.
Some first-half stats compiled by Gaelic Statsman
Limerick are back out on the field, no sign of Cork yet.
The wind is probably worth more than four points. Cork will be playing against it in the second half. Could be big factor.
Here is that flashpoint between both management teams after the half-time whistle.
It nearly all boiled over at the Gaelic Grounds. Both management teams got involved in a fairly heated exchange after the half-time whistle. Cork manager Pat Ryan appeared to be furious at some of the decisions by the referee and entered the pitch to vent his frustration. But John Kiely and the Limerick management team raced in as well and there was plenty of shoving and pushing and verbal exchanges.
HALF-TIME: Cork 1-14 Limerick 1-10
35mins: Cork 1-14 Limerick 1-10
Darragh Fitzgibbon and David Reidy trade points.
34mins: Cork 1-13 Limerick 1-9
Barrett and Horgan extend Cork’s lead. The Rebels will want to add a few scores before the break, given the wind at their backs in this half.
32mins: Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-9
Hegarty fizzes over his first of the day. Cork lead by two.
30mins: Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-8
Collins makes a good save from a Hegarty shot.
Alan Connolly and Shane Barrett score a point apiece for Cork while Adam English pulls one back for Limerick.
GOAL for Cork.
Barrett pulls on the ball first time to smack the ball beyond Quaid. Big score for Cork and a good response to Limerick’s goal.
26mins: Cork 1-9 Limerick 1-7
26mins: Limerick 1-7 Cork 0-9
Ah that’s a textbook score by Aaron Gillane. Nickie Quaid’s puck-out is won brilliantly in the air by Gearóid Hegarty, a diagonal ball is whizzed across to Gillane and he fires over. Lovely move, great score.
23mins: Limerick 1-6 Cork 0-9
Reidy edges Limerick in front for the first time but Tim O’Mahony quickly restores parity.
GOAL for Limerick. Aidan O’Connor bats the ball beyond Patrick Collins. The Limerick forward rounded Eoin Downey before finishing to the net.
20mins: Limerick 1-5 Cork 0-8
18mins: Cork 0-8 Limerick 0-5
Diarmaid Byrnes with a nicely struck long-distance free narrows the gap for Limerick but Seamus Harnedy replies immediately from play down the other end of the field.
16mins: Cork 0-7 Limerick 0-4
Lovely score from Shane Barrett, sending the ball over from way out on the far sideline.
15mins: Cork 0-6 Limerick 0-4
Damien Cahalane with a monster score from downtown. He used the wind cleverly to help carry his effort over the Limerick crossbar. Great score.
13mins: Cork 0-5 Limerick 0-4
David Reidy pulls one back for Limerick.
12mins: Cork 0-5 Limerick 0-3
Healy again, whipping the ball over again. Positive start by him.
10mins: Cork 0-4 Limerick 0-3
Cork nudge themselves back in front, Diarmuid Healy with the point.
9mins: Limerick 0-3 Cork 0-3
Limerick are purring now. Aidan O’Connor narrows the gap before Tom Morrissey sends over his second of the game to draw the sides level.
7mins: Cork 0-3 Limerick 0-1
Pa Horgan sends over a free for Cork before Tom Morrissey opens Limerick’s account.
The puck-outs from Patrick Collins are dropping on top of the Cork inside forwards. The visitors will hope to use this wind to build up a decent first-half tally.
4mins: Cork 0-2 Limerick 0-0
Seamus Harnedy extends Cork’s early lead. The Rebels have the benefit of a substantial wind in this first half.
19 seconds in.......the game’s opening point goes Cork’s way, Pa Horgan with the white flag score.
Cork 0-1 Limerick 0-0
The Gaelic Grounds is a sea of red and green. Packed house, huge noise. Everything is in place for a cracker.
Seán Moran’s pre-game dispatch from the press box:
‘No change to either of the line-ups in the TUS Gaelic Grounds where champions Limerick and Cork are about to contest this year’s Munster hurling final. A slight pall of anti-climax hangs in the air after Limerick’s 16-point win in the round robin, less than three weeks ago. Cork will be hoping to put that behind them. It is the first provincial final between the counties since 2014, which was the last match in the old Páirc Uí Chaoimh and was won by Cork.’
The teams are walking around the pitch for the pre-match parade. It’s almost time......
Denis Walsh took a closer look this week at the influence of Tom Morrissey and Gearóid Hegarty on this Limerick team.
‘They made their championship debuts on the same day: June 19th, 2016. Limerick deployed Gearóid Hegarty on Pádraic Maher, as a one-man anti-missile defence. Tom Morrissey came on 10 minutes before Hegarty was replaced and scored a worthless goal in stoppage time. Tipperary played with 14 men for over an hour and still won. It was Limerick’s night before Limerick’s day.’
The Cork hurlers have scored 19 more goals than their Limerick counterparts so far this year – proof if needed that not all journeys towards silverware follow the same route.
Pat Ryan’s Rebels enter the Munster SHC final having bagged 27 goals over the course of the season – league and championship – while Limerick have managed just eight.
The Rebels have scored at least one goal in all 11 of their competitive outings in 2025, while Limerick have raised green flags in just five of their 10 outings.
Here are the two teams named during the week. Chances are some changes might emerge before throw-in.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, Will O’Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Aidan O’Connor, David Reidy. Subs: Shane Dowling, Peter Casey, Colin Coughlan, Seamus Flanagan, Declan Hannon, Barry Murphy, Shane O’Brien, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Darragh O’Donovan, Patrick O’Donovan, Cathal O’Neill.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Damien Cahalane, Eoin Downey, Seán O’Donoghue; Cormac O’Brien, Ciarán Joyce, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes. Subs: Brion Saunderson, Niall O’Leary, Rob Downey, Tommy O’Connell, Ethan Twomey, Luke Meade, Shane Kingston, Jack O’Connor, Brian Roche, Robbie O’Flynn.
Nicky English is expecting a belter in Limerick:
‘One of the trickiest challenges a team can face is having to play opponents whom you beat comprehensively just a few weeks previously. That is the task for both provincial champions going into this year’s Munster and Leinster finals.
Galway and Cork are in the other boat, having had their heads handed to them by Kilkenny and Limerick only a few weeks ago. The imperative for both if they are to have any chance going forward is to close the gap and, with that improvement, gather some momentum.
It is obviously more acute for Cork, who, unlike Galway don’t look to me as if they’re picking up form.
They couldn’t really have been happy with the mixed performance against Waterford, which provided little reassurance after the mauling in Limerick. Cork have gone from being favourites for the championship to nearly an unknown package in terms of their real worth.’
[ Nicky English: Opportunity for redemption smaller for Cork than GalwayOpens in new window ]
Here is how Seán Moran has called today’s Munster SHC final:
‘If the intrigue surrounding the counties’ earlier meeting centred on how convincingly Limerick could regain their form of old and how successfully their opponents could iron out troubling inconsistencies in their performances to date, the resolution made tough viewing for Cork.’
[ Munster SHC final: Limerick look too far ahead to be caught on this occasionOpens in new window ]
Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog for today’s eagerly awaited Munster senior hurling final between Limerick and Cork at the Gaelic Grounds. This one has all the ingredients to serve up a classic. It’s Gordon Manning here and I’ll be keeping you updated on all the action from Limerick.
Seán Moran and Denis Walsh are both in place at the stadium so we’ll be getting their thoughts and all the latest team news from the Gaelic Grounds. So put the kettle on, open the good biscuits and get ready for an evening of high entertainment and drama.
