Limerick stun Cork to book league semi-final spot

LIMERICK will face Galway in the  Allianz Hurling League semi-final on Easter Sunday after seeing off Cork in their nail-biting Division 1 quarter-final clash on a 1-20 to 1-18 scoreline at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday.

It was a tight game throughout with the lead changing hands on no fewer than nine occasions over the 70 minutes.

The teams were deadlocked with 67 minutes gone, but three crucial scores from Kyle Hayes, Gearoid Hegarty and John Fitzgibbon saw Limerick win on a two point margin.

Limerick were one of three Division 1B sides to make the semi-finals as Wexford will take on All-Ireland champions Tipperary in the second semi-final.

SCORERS: Limerick: Shane Dowling 0-9 (7f), David Dempsey 1-1, Gearoid Hegarty 0-4 (1 sideline), Cian Lynch, Kyle Hayes 0-2 each, Alan Dempsey, John Fitzgibbon 0-1 each; Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-8 (6f), Luke Meade 1-1 Seamus Harnedy 0-3, Alan Cadogan, Mark Coleman (1 ’65) 0-2 each, Anthony Nash (1f), Bill Cooper 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Richie English, Richie McCarthy, Mike Casey, Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Seamus Hickey, Alan Dempsey, William O’Donoghue; Shane Dowling, Gearoid Hegarty, David Dempsey, Cian Lynch, Kyle Hayes, Graeme Mulcahy, Subs: Barry Nash for D Dempsey (50), Pat Ryan for A Dempsey (50 mins), Peter Casey for Mulcahy (52 mins), John Fitzgibbon for O’Donoghue (61 mins), Gavin O’Mahony for Hannon (62 mins).

CORK: Anthony Nash; Stephen McDonnell, David Griffin, Colm Spillane; Christopher Joyce, Mark Ellis, Mark Coleman; Lorcan McLoughlin, Dean Brosnan; Bill Cooper, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Luke Meade; Alan Cadogan, Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan; Subs: Brian Lawton for Griffin (h-t), Michael Cahalane for Fitzgibbon (42 mins), Daniel Kearney for Brosnan (54 mins), Luke O’Farrell for Cadogan (71 mins).

REFEREE: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)