Limerick and Cork finishes all square in Alllianz Hurling League

LIMERICK opened their Division 1A Allianz Hurling League campaign with a 1-16 to 1-16 draw against Cork at SuperVale Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening. 

The greasy surface proved difficult for both sets of players. The Munster rivals enjoyed periods of dominance, but it looked as if Limerick had did enough to earn the points.

However, Darragh Fitzgibbon's pointed free for Cork on 79 minutes meant the sides shared the two league points on offer.

Limerick manager John Kiely handed Jason Gillane his National Hurling League debut in the game. There were a number positional switches in defence with Kyle Hayes lining out at number six and Doon's Barry Murphy, who has previously played both in midfield and attack, selected at corner back. 

Cork had defeated Limerick in the last three meetings between the counties at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Limerick boss Kiely opted to go with seven of the starting XV that lined out against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final last year. 

Cork came into this clash on the back of a comfortable victory over an understrength Wexford last weekend. The GAA made the decision to switch Division 1A to a seven-team league this year and Limerick were the team who had a bye last weekend.

Pat Ryan's Cork charges dominated the opening 18 minutes and looked to be in control of this contest leading 0-7 to 0-2. After that, it was Limerick who fought back and Kiely's side led for the majority of the game only for Darragh Fitzgibbon to hit two frees in-a-row in injury time to earn a share of the spoils for the Leesiders.

It was the home side who settled quickest and after four minutes Cork had scored the opening three points. First Luke Meade,  who replaced the injured Robert Downey as a late replacement on the Cork starting XV, pointed while, a minute later the same player won a free and Darragh Fitzgibbon pointed to increase the home side's advantage. Ethan Twomey then nailed Cork's third white flag of the evening. 

Aidan O'Connor eased Limerick's concerns after the Ballybrown clubman was on target from a difficult angle. Fitzgibbon then added two more pointed frees to have Cork leading 0-5 to 0-1. Reigning Munster champions Limerick forced their opponents into a mistake and Patrick O'Donovan replied with a point from a close range free.

On 19 minutes, Kyle Hayes excellently picked out William O'Donoghue who was in acres of space. The Na Piarsaigh man superbly rifled the sliotar into the back of the net to make it 1-2 to 0-7. Momentum was now with Limerick as Adam English and Patrick O'Donovan levelled matters seven minutes before the break. 

Colin Coughlan then excellently spotted Cian Lynch in the number 11 channel and newly-appointed Limerick captain Lynch split the posts for his opening score of the evening. However, Tim O'Mahony tied up the game after he landed from a free inside his own 65-metre line. 

Effin's Patrick O'Donovan was proving to be a livewire in the Limerick inside forward line. O'Donovan pounced on a defensive mistake with the the corner forward then firing over his fourth point of the evening to have Limerick leading 1-7 to 0-8 at the interval.

Diarmaid Byrnes and Adam English stretched Limerick's lead out to four points after half time. However, Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon replied with his fifth placed ball of the evening. 

The see-saw nature of the scoring continued as Shane O'Brien and Adam English gave the Shannonsiders a vital cushion and it looked as if their side were starting to control the game.

However, Shane Barrett then blasted the sliotar into the back of the net and last year's All-Ireland finalists trailed by just two points 1-9 to 1-11.

Limerick goalkeeper Jason Gillane and Darragh Fitzgibbon, of Cork, then exchanged points from frees. 

The visitors response was excellent, however. Kyle Hayes stormed forward to set Cian Lynch up for a neat point on the edge of the 'D'. Goalkeeper Gillane landed his second long free of the game to push Limerick 1-14 to 1-10 ahead on 58 minutes.

Fitzgibbon and Brian Hayes were keeping Pat Ryan's side in touch as the full time whistle approached. 

However Cork rallied once again. On 72 minutes, Fitzgibbon reduced the gap to the minimum with another score. 

Colin Coughlan then won a crucial free and Adam English showed nerves of steel to put Limerick 1-16 to 1-14 clear.

However, two pointed frees from Darragh Fitzgibbon levelled the game late on and both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Limerick will now switch their attention to round two of the National Hurling League against Tipperary on Sunday, February 9 at 3.45pm in the TUS Gaelic Grounds. 

SCORERS: LIMERICK: Adam English (0-4, 0-3 frees), Patrick O'Donovan (0-4, 0-1 free), William O'Donoghue 1-0, Aidan O'Connor and Cian Lynch 0-2 each, Jason Gillane (0-2, 0-2 frees), Shane O'Brien 0-1, Diarmaid Byrnes (0-1 free). CORK: Shane Barrett 1-0, Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-10, 0-9 frees), Brian Hayes 0-2, Luke Meade, Shane Kingston, Ethan Twomey and Tim O'Mahony 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Jason Gillane (Patrickswell); Sean Finn (Bruff), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Barry Murphy (Doon); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown); Adam English (Doon), William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Aidan O'Connor (Ballybrown); Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen), Shane O'Brien (Kilmallock), Patrick O'Donovan (Effin). SUBS: David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for Hegarty (16 mins, injured), Fergal O'Connor (Effin) for Finn (half-time), Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca) for Byrnes (44 mins), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon) for Ó Dálaigh (48 mins), Micheal Houlihan (Kilmallock) for O'Donovan (49 mins), Eddie Stokes (Doon) for O'Donoghue (59 mins).

CORK: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Ger Millerick, Eoin Roche; Ciarán Joyce, Tim O'Mahony, Cormac O’Brien; Luke Meade, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Ethan Twomey, Shane Kingston, Shane Barrett; Brian Hayes Pádraig Power, Alan Connolly. SUBS: Patrick Horgan for Power (17 mins, injured), Mark Coleman for Kingston (48 mins), Conor Lehane for Connolly (58 mins), Brian Roche for Lehane (61 mins), Robbie Cotter for Barrett (67 mins)

REFEREE: Sean Stack (Dublin)