PICTURES: Take a look back at Limerick's heartbreaking 2025 Munster final clash with Cork at the Gaelic Grounds

LIMERICK'S dream of an historic seventh Munster senior hurling title in a row was shattered in a dramatic 3-2 penalty shoot-out final defeat to Cork at the TÚS Gaelic Grounds back in June.

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It was the first time in the long and storied history of the Munster senior hurling championship and Liam MacCarthy Cup that a game was decided by a penalty-taking competition.

The sides had been tied, Limerick 2-27 Cork 1-30, at the end of extra-time in a nail-biting decider.

While Diarmuid Byrnes and Aaron Gillane scored their penalties, Limerick failed to convert three other attempts, from Barry Murphy, wide, Tom Morrissey, saved, and Declan Hannon, wide, as the Leesiders bounced back from their 16-point defeat at the same venue in the round robin phase of the provincial championship just three weeks earlier to deny Limerick's bid for a 26th provincial title at this level. Sport, eh. It continues to make fools of us so often.

While Darragh Fitzgibbon's opening penalty for Cork was brilliantly saved by Limerick netminder Nickie Quaid, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston and Alan Connolly all found the back of the net with their efforts as the Leesiders claimed their first provincial title at this level since 2018 and with it the Mackey Cup.

This was Cork’s first championship win over Limerick in the TUS Gaelic Grounds since 2019 when they had seven points to spare in a Munster round robin tie.

This was also a first defeat for Limerick manager John Kiely who has had a stunning record in league, provincial and All-Ireland finals during his tenure. In his role as senior hurling manager manager, Kiely had overseen a stunning run of 14 final wins in a row for Limerick prior to this clash. 

SCORERS: Penalty Shoot-out: Limerick: Diarmaid Byrnes, Aaron Gillane. Cork: Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston, Alan Connolly.

SCORERS: Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-9, (0-7 frees); Shane O’Brien 1-2; Alan O’Connor 1-1; David Reidy, Adam English 0-3 each; Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty 0-2 each; Diarmuid Byrnes (free), Darragh O’Donovan, Declan Hannon, Peter Casey 0-1 each. Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-7, (0-4 frees); Shane Barrett 1-3; Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-4 (0-1 free, 0-1 '65); Diarmuid Healy, Shane Kingston 0-3 each; Seamus Harnedy, Conor Lehane 0-2 each; Damien Cahalane, Tim O’Mahony, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, Eoin Downey, Tommy O’Connell 0-1 each.

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. Substitutes: Shane O'Brien for O'Connor (41 mins), Peter Casey for Reidy, Cathal O'Neill for Tom Morrissey (both 54 mins), Darragh O'Donovan for O'Donoghue (64 mins), Declan Hannon for Byrnes, Barry Murphy for Mike Casey (both extra-time), Tom Morrissey for Hegarty (78 mins), Seamus Flanagan for Lynch (temp 90 +1 to 90 +3), Diarmuid Byrnes for Lynch (80 +4)

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. Substitutes: Robert Downey for O'Brien (53 mins), Tommy O'Connell for O'Mahony (58 mins), Shane Kingston for Connolly (64 mins), Robbie O'Flynn for Harnedy (67 mins), Conor Lehane for Horgan (70 + 2 mins), Niall O’Leary for S. O’Donoghue (72 mins); Brian Roche for D. Healy (half-time extra-time); Alan Connolly for Coleman (injured 84).

REFEREE: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)