NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS/Cork 0-13 Limerick 0-8:WHILE MOST of the personnel remain in situ, Limerick looked a shadow of the team that shook the foundations of hurling's elite last summer.
This was a crashing return to earth as they meekly surrendered their league interests to a Cork machine still awaiting the return of several key components.
Galway will ask more pertinent questions of the rebuilding Rebels next Sunday. But for now they can only be content. After three months of strike action, even the two games they forfeited have been made up with a play-off against Waterford and yesterday's quarter-final. Both were impressive victories on the road.
It's almost as if the winter crisis never happened.
"We're not up to championship pace but that was worth 10, 11, 12 training sessions to us," said Seán Óg Ó hAilpín. "As everyone knows we lost a lot of time at the start of the year. We've unearthed a couple of young fellas, who were badly needed in Cork."
This meeting was not so much a reflection of the new-look panel Gerald McCarthy is building, but rather the utter loss of momentum Limerick hurling is currently experiencing.
Granted, the near freezing conditions ruined any chance of a snappy, free-flowing contest, but the hunger associated with Richie Bennis' charges in 2007 is simply not evident presently.
They will undoubtedly lift the intensity levels come the championship but the early signs of another Limerick malaise were evident again here.
Only Brian Begley and Mike Fitzgerald were missing, while Cork coasted clear in the second half with renewed confidence, especially considering the imminent return of Jerry O'Connor, Joe Deane and Ronan Curran.
Ben O'Connor even got away with a poor return. He posted five frees but spurned as many opportunities. In short, there is plenty more to come from Cork.
After the initial feeling-out period, where Niall Moran and John Gardiner in particular renewed acquaintances by ripping the hurleys out of each other's hands, it was Limerick who threatened with two first-half goal chances. However, Pat Tobin then Ollie Moran were both guilty of poor finishing. Donal Óg Cusack didn't have to move when making his solitary save, although he did exude his usual assuredness between the Cork uprights.
Still, at the break Limerick led 0-6 to 0-5 with the 5,429 crowd anticipating an enthralling second instalment.
What actually followed was a distant relation to the standards we have come to expect from Munster hurling. Cork did find a rhythm, though, with a five-point blitz in 10 minutes that effectively decided the result.
Moments before impressive new half-forward Brian Corry initiated this scoring spree, Limerick were rocked by a double injury to Damien Reale and Mark O'Riordan after an ugly, yet accidental, clash.
Both men attempted to shake off their respective knocks but neither could see out the 70 minutes.
Afterwards, a stunned looking Bennis disappeared into the dressingroom straight away and did not reappear.
"Okay, the clash of the two boys didn't help us but it should not have put us off too much," said selector Gary Kirby.
"The same work-rate wasn't there in the second half. It was a disaster and there is no point saying otherwise."
There are obvious problems.
Hunger and desire can be addressed in the coming months but strength in depth is never a quick fix.
"We definitely have to add to the squad," admitted Kirby. "There are certainly a few there I don't think are up to championship level. We hope to bring on a few more but whether they are there or not we don't know because we have looked around and we haven't seen much. Hopefully, someone might spring out and surprise us. We do have 22, 23 players, which should be good enough for a championship squad.
"We have put out players in practice matches and they have shown up very well. But when you put them out against county hurlers in a league match they are not showing up."
Meanwhile, McCarthy's blooding of players is already bearing fruit. Corry's contribution has been mentioned, Eoin Cadogan and Shane O'Neill showed up well in defence but it is Cathal Naughton pressing hardest for retention in the starting line-up come the championship.
The Newtownshandrum corner-forward brings a new dimension to the Cork attack. His point down the home straight was crucial on a personal level as it was the umpteenth occasion that he skinned a Limerick man, Peter Lawlor, only this time he added the score as well.
Everything is a bonus when you win. Even the errors can be rectified by the next day. Limerick disappear into hibernation until May 22nd against the winners of Waterford and Clare. However, Cork face the speed and panache of Ger Loughnane's western revolution. Something McCarthy conceded will provide a more accurate reflection of Cork's credentials.
"I saw Galway's display against Limerick here when they just blew them away," he said. "We have another plateau to get up to and we're well aware of that."
CORK:D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, D O'Sullivan, B Murphy; J Gardiner (0-2, free and 65, capt), E Cadogan, S Óg Ó hAilpín (0-1); T Kenny, S White; K Murphy, N McCarthy, B Corry (0-3); B O'Connor (0-5, five frees), K Canty, C Naughton (0-2). Subs: P O'Sullivan for S White (half-time), K Hartnett for N McCarthy (62 mins), S Murphy for B Murphy (69 mins).
LIMERICK:B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; M O'Riordan, P O'Dwyer, M Foley (capt); D O'Grady (0-1), W McNamara; M O'Brien, O Moran, N Moran (0-1); A O'Shaughnessy (0-4, three frees), S O'Connor (0-1), P Tobin (0-1). Subs: P Lawlor for D Reale (42 mins), H Flavin for M O'Riordan (52 mins), D Ryan for P Tobin (55 mins).
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
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