Ben's strike ends Cregan era

Eamonn Cregan's valedictory speech was composed and thoughtful. He did take a skelp at referee Barry Kelly, but that has become almost the mood music in losing dressingrooms. In the wake of a crackling first-round qualifier defeat by Cork, Cregan delivered the words that you suspected he might have rehearsed in the past four weeks.

He chose to pay tribute to his players, to acknowledge that his own race as their manager was run and pointedly to call for a total makeover of the team's management - effectively urging the selectors who had been making his life a misery to follow his example.

"This is the team I still think has the winning of an All-Ireland. I'm proud of them, I'm proud of the way they played today and unfortunately I won't be with them. Derry (Donovan, the team trainer and Cregan's long-time associate) and I are stepping down after five years because we've nothing more to offer and it's time for a complete clearout and let somebody new come in and look after the team. But I'm proud of that team today."

So after the ravages of months of intolerable infighting, Limerick's season died on Saturday in Thurles. The players fought the good fight and more than played their part in the best hurling match of the summer to date. But in the end they departed symbolically through the back door of their dressingroom just as Cork were embarking on the rest of their season through - metaphorically - the same route.

The fine line that separates joy and desolation in sport was visible. Cork, whose one-point pratfalls had become hauntingly frequent, won by that same narrow margin to refloat their season. Ben O'Connor's glorious, injury-time point flung over from the right wing was the winner.

"After three defeats like that ourselves we know how Limerick are feeling," said Cork manager Bertie Murphy. "It was a crucial game for Cork but I have great sympathy for Limerick because they gave great commitment and in a game like that it's very tough for one team to lose."

He added: "The winning score was fantastic and it's something I think we deserved after all our narrow defeats in the past two years."

Cregan felt that a draw would have been fair. But that is often the way with one-point matches. Having fought furiously to establish two winning platforms, Limerick were not able to complete the task.

"I think the referee rode us, he rode us from the very start," Cregan said. "I've no qualms of conscience about saying it. I thought he was a disgrace. It was 12½ minutes in the first half before we got a free. There were times when we had the ball in our hands and we were fouled and they took possession of it and went away and scored and there was no free."

He went on to praise Cork and wish them well. His comments on the referee weren't disputed by many Cork supporters but to some extent, Kelly's problems were brought about by a desire to keep the game moving and play advantage at times when any such benefit to the team in possession was to be quickly lost.

The game moved backwards and forwards at a mesmerising rate. Limerick weren't quite firing on all cylinders but they battled ferociously and it looked like being enough.

Brian Begley at full forward prospered on Diarmuid O'Sullivan and took him for four points. Mark Keane had an influential day, scoring four points - two from play, including one piece of wizardry to tie the match in the last minute. He also made the weaving run that set up Ollie Moran for the goal, which gave Limerick a seven-point lead at the start of the second half.

Cork's fate teetered in the balance but only for seconds. A minute and a half later, Timmy McCarthy, who showed a return to form, got in a shot that Albert Shanahan fumbled and Alan Browne pounced for the goal.

Limerick allowed what was left of the lead to evaporate. Shanahan made amends later by bravely blocking a thunderbolt penalty from O'Sullivan.

Still Limerick rallied and reclaimed the lead, which they held until the closing minutes and even then, Keane looked to have earned extra-time.

Cork's second-half changes won the match. Jerry O'Connor came on at half-time and contributed two points. Last year's minor John Gardiner had a fine first half at wing and switched to centre back in the second giving the team its optimum defensive formation.

So Cork progress in better spirits and Limerick depart a little less anguished than after the defeat by Tipperary last month but with much rebuilding ahead.

HOW THEY LINED OUT

CORK: 1 D Cusack; 2 W Sherlock, 3 D O'Sullivan, 4 F Ryan; 5 S Ó hAilpín, 6 J Browne, 7 J Gardiner; 8 A Cummins, 9 D Barrett; 10 T McCarthy, 11 A Browne, 12 S McGrath; 13 B O'Connor, 14 E Collins, 15 J Deane. Subs: 18 J O'Connor for McGrath (half-time); 20 M Landers for Barrett (half-time); 22 K Murray for A Browne (60 mins); 19 P Ryan for Landers (62 mins).

Booked: A Cummins (25 mins)

LIMERICK: 1 A Shanahan; 2 D Reale, 3 TJ Ryan, 4 S McDonagh; 5 C Smith, 6 B Geary, 7 M Foley; 8 P Lawlor, 9 C Carey; 10 O Moran, 11 S Lucey, 12 B Foley; 13 D Ryan, 14 B Begley, 15 M Keane. Subs: 21 J Butler for D Ryan (40 mins); 26 A O'Shaughnessy for B Foley (56 mins); 17 M O'Brien for Carey (60 mins); J Moran for O Moran (67 mins). Booked: M Foley (55 mins), S McDonagh (57 mins).