NHL review:Cork will meet Galway in the National Hurling League Division One final after both were forced to dig deep for wins against Tipperary and Dublin respectively.
At Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the Rebels edged Tipp out by just a point to deny the Premier County any hope of reaching the league decider.
After taking a four-point lead in at the break, Cork were pegged back in the second half when a Paul Kelly goal contributed to an eight-point swing.
However, Pat Horgan responded by hitting the net for the Rebels and they kept their noses in front in a tight finish to ensure a meeting with the Tribesmen.
In Salthill, Galway won by two points against Dublin, who turned in another good performance but lacked the experience and ruthlessness to put the game away.
On the way to Galway taking an 0-08 to 0-06 lead in at the break, Joe Canning struck an improbable point from a sideline cut and both sides were reduced to 14 men when Dublin’s Thomas Brady and Galway centre forward Cyril Donnellan were dismissed after they clashed in the 28th minute.
The Dubs edged into the lead early in the second half when Alan McCrabbe and John McCaffrey added to their tallies before goalkeeper Gary Maguire denied Joe Canning for the second time.
Shane Durkin was also on target for the Dubs but Galway chipped away at the lead before equalising through Ollie Canning and taking the initiative through Joe.
The latter added couple more and Kevin Hynes pointed too as the homeside showed the visitors how to close out a game.
At the Gaelic Grounds, Justin McCarthy’s Limerick side suffered a seven-point defeat to All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.
TJ Reid's first-half haul of nine points for the Cats, coupled with goals from Aidan Fogarty and Eoin Larkin, contributed to an 11-point lead at the break.
An admirable Limerick fightback, led by Paudie McNamara, who totalled 0-11 throughout, restricted Kilkenny to just five points in the second half but there was never a way back for the embattled Munster side.
Cork and Galway made sure Waterford’s chances of a final appearance ended, regardless of
their three-point win over Offaly at Walsh Park.
Davy Fitzgerald's side did, however, move into third, courtesy of a flurry of late points from Maurice Shanahan.
NHL results - Sunday, April 4th, 2010
Allianz Hurling League Div 1
Galway 0-17 Dublin 0-15
Limerick 0-16 Kilkenny 2-17
Cork 1-16 Tipperary 1-15
Waterford 1-19 Offaly 1-16
Allianz Hurling League Div 2
Antrim 2-16 Down 2-17
Kildare 2-05 Carlow 3-14
Laois 1-14 Wexford 1-18
Allianz Hurling League Div 3B
Roscommon 4-17 Sligo 0-16
Tyrone 0-03 Wicklow 6-22
Louth 2-16 Fingal 3-12