CORK won a thrilling All Ireland Vocational Schools inter county hurling championship final in the curtain raiser at Limerick Gaelic Grounds yesterday and in the process denied Galway a fifth win in a row.

It was Galway who made the better start and they were three points in front before Ger O'Connor had Cork's first point. Galway led by five points to one after 14 minutes but Cork struck for the opening goal when Denis O'Leary shot home to level matters.

Points by Michael Withers and Ben O'Connor put Cork in front, but then came a superb goal by Galway's man of the match, Eugene Cloonan, to again leave only a point between the sides.

By half time Cork led 1-7 to 1-6 and when they had the opening point of the second half by David Murphy, it seemed they were on their way to a comfortable win.

However, the outstanding Cloonan kept Galway in touch and he finished with a personal tally of 1-10 and yet found himself on the losing side.

The sides were level twice in an entertaining second half and in the final two minutes, Galway's Cathal Fallon and Ronan Cullinane missed two glorious goal chances, although Cullinane managed a point.