Munster SHC final: Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-21
Here is Denis Walsh’s match report -
So Limerick and Galway can sit comfortably now for four weeks as they have progressed through to the All-Ireland semis. Meanwhile, Cork will face Offaly and Dublin will play Clare in the quarter-finals.
John Kiely spoke to RTÉ after the game where he talked about how hard it can be to get control of a game against Cork:
“We spoke about being calm in the chaos before we went out, because those games just descend into chaos and it’s hard for the guys to stay steady and make good decisions. Everything is happening at a thousand miles an hour, so I’m just really proud of the bunch.”
Cian Lynch lifts the Mick Mackey Cup as Limerick are crowned Munster champions. That’s seven out of the last eight Munster titles for the Treaty County.
Here’s the somewhat controversial ending and the scenes of Limerick jubilation at full-time. It must be noted that James Owens was consulted by several Cork players and members of the management before that free was taken. They must have decided to take a chance on a short free regardless, but they were not happy with the decision to blow the game up.
The stewards have given up, as a big green crowd descends towards the Mick Mackey Cup and Cian Lynch at the top of the steps.
My God, Limerick are enjoying this as ‘Dreams’ by the Cranberries plays in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. You wouldn’t think that this team had won so much before from these pictures, but this one obviously means an awful lot to them. Wonderful scenes.
Full-time: Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-21
Limerick are the Munster champions! Cork tried to take the free short, but James Owens blew it up right after that. Limerick are in dreamland, Cork and their supporters are livid!
76 Mins: Cork have one last free just outside their 45′. Hegarty smashed into O’Mahony there. Time is up, but their was a lot of messing around in added time, so that’s fair enough. Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-21
75 Mins: Hegarty trips Cahalane in the corner, so Collins will have to drive the ball down the pitch a mile. Ben O’Connor is going crazy on the sideline, motivating in the old-school style. But Limerick win the ball and send it wide from Reidy. Collins’ puckout is shocking but Hegarty hits the post! Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-21
72 Mins: Peter Casey once again puts Limerick ahead after a quick rise of the ball and strike. Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-21
71 Mins: Peter Casey drives at his man, cuts right and lofts a beauty over the bar. At the other end, Healy wins the puckout and is fouled by Hayes, so Cork level matters with another Connolly free. Cork 2-17 Limerick 1-20
69 Mins: Limerick win the puckout and Kyle Hayes drives straight through the Cork defence. He hands it off to Hegarty, who puts it over. Level again. Cork 2-16 Limerick 1-19
68 Mins: Byrnes drives over the 65′. Just one in it again. Cork 2-16 Limerick 1-18
67 Mins: Connolly puts Cork two back in front. David Reidy comes on for Shane O’Brien. Then Patrick Collins makes an incredible save from Hegarty! English raced through and fed the big man, but the Cork ‘keeper got out quickly to smother it. Cork 2-16 Limerick 1-17
64 Mins: Amazing defending from Adam English, who gets back just in the nick of time to rob Healy. Cork win it back though and O’Mahony and Nash crash together, with the result being a Cork free. Cork 2-15 Limerick 1-17
62 Mins: O’Mahony drives a long free towards Hayes, but Limerick have it back. A great ball is played up to O’Connor, who atones for the free with a great point. Cork 2-15 Limerick 1-17
61 Mins: Savage battling from both sides, with Shane Barrett blocked down out wide. Limerick win another fairly soft free coming out and Brian Hayes goes mad at the ref again. It’s not helping them though, as Limerick get another free down the other end, which O’Connor should pop over handily, but misses. Cork 2-15 Limerick 1-16
58 Mins: Tim O’Mahony hits a 65′ off the post and Alan Connolly gives away a soft, soft free. He complains, and it’s brought forward, so Byrnes drives it over the bar from inside his own 45′. Cork 2-15 Limerick 1-16
56 Mins: Shane Barrett drives at his man and wins a free that Connolly taps over. The temperature is rising a little between the sides at the minute. Patrick Collins comes out to collect a ball in and leaves it behind, and Peter Casey steals it and drives it towards goal, but the Cork backs cover their ‘keeper’s back brilliantly. Cork 2-15 Limerick 1-15
53 Mins: Incredible save from Quaid again! Mark Coleman went for his second goal of the day, and the ‘keeper got down low to save it. Cork 2-14 Limerick 1-15
52 Mins: Cian Lynch does the first real bit of his trademark magic to lift a ball and find space. Then Tom Morrissey is fouled, giving O’Connor a handy free. Cork 2-14 Limerick 1-15
50 Mins: Kyle Hyes underhits a long-range point attempt and Collins whallops it back up the pitch. Diarmuid Healy pulls it out of the sky, winning a big free for the hosts. Connolly puts it over. Cork 2-14 Limerick 1-14
49 Mins: Adam English comes on for Aaron Gillane, who hasn’t quite been at it today. Byrnes has a long range free and drives it over. Cork 2-13 Limerick 1-14
46 Mins: A poor miss from Gillane, whose shooting hasn’t been at its usual level today. O’Donovan wins a free around halfway and O’Connor goes short to Byrnes, who is blocked down. Cork 2-13 Limerick 1-13
44 Mins: Barry Walsh, who has been quiet today, wins a free. Connolly gets the point from it. Cork 2-13 Limerick 1-13
43 Mins: Cormac O’Brien is on for Seán O’Donoghue. Collins makes another save from a speculative effort by O’Connor, and Tom Morrissey clean things up with a point for Limerick. Cork 2-12 Limerick 1-13
41 Mins: Shane O’Brien gets out wide, skins O’Leary and shoots low and hard, but Collins is equal to it. O’Leary fouled the big man on the way through, and O’Connor takes the free from the 14′, but it’s blocked by O’Donoghue thanks to the Limerick man’s low-flight style of frees. The centre-forward puts the 65′ over. Cork 2-12 Limerick 1-11
39 Mins: Aidan O’Connor knocks over his first free, but then misses a scorable shot in play. Cork 2-12 Limerick 1-11
38 Mins: Shane Barrett wins a free and Alan Connolly pops it over for Cork.
GOAL for Cork! Brian Hayes scores while still sitting after a tackle on him. It was a glorious Cork move before that, too. Cork 2-12 Limerick 1-10
36 Mins: The first point of the half goes to Limerick, with Tom Morrissey getting his first off the bench. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-10
Here’s that incredible save from Nickie Quaid that could have put Cork five up during their hot streak. As it stands, Limerick are well in this one.
Half-time: Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-9
Cork may regret that run of four points unanswered for Limerick going into half-time. They had the breeze in the first half, but never quite used it to full effect, losing a lot of their long puckouts and letting long passes trail wide.
37 Mins: Classy play from Hegarty and Byrnes coming out of defence, before Gillane is blocked down by O’Donoghue. Casey is there to help out and the Cork corner-back is booked for a bad high tackle. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-9
34 Mins: Classy score from Shane O’Brien, after an excellent first touch. Tom Morrissey is on for O’Neill. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-8
33 Mins: Rob Downey and O’Neill go in for the same ball and the Limerick man seems to pull up injured. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-7
32 Mins: Cathal O’Neill gets his first score of the game as Limerick look to end the half strongly. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-7
30 Mins: Super score from Rob Downey, plucking Quaid’s puckout cleanly out of the air. Gillane wins a free then in the next play, which looks very soft. Himself and O’Donoghue are having a great battle in there though. Aidan O’Connor pops the free over. Cork 1-11 Limerick 1-6
29 Mins: Brian Hayes comes out and wins the ball excellently, lays it off to Tim O’Mahony and the midfielder wins a free. John Kiely and Ben O’Connor have an exchange of views on the sideline, with Kiely offering a smirk and a handshake at the end that is refused by the Cork manager. Cork 1-10 Limerick 1-5
27 Mins: Hegarty skews a sideline back out for a Cork sideline. William Buckley gets a really classy solo score when that line ball is played in. Cork 1-9 Limerick 1-5
25 Mins: Incredible save from Quaid! Diarmuid Healy arrowed a shot towards the top corner from the 21′ and the Limerick ‘keeper touches it just around the post. O’Mahony gets the 65′. Cork 1-8 Limerick 1-5
23 Mins: Tim O’Mahony scores a 65′ and then Barry Nash responds well with a point. Patrick Collins nearly gets caught playing out of the back, with the conditions not conducive to that style, really. Cork 1-7 Limerick 1-5
21 Mins: Niall O’Leary seems to have a hold of Shane O’Brien as the latest ball comes in, very similar to the Hayes-Hayes penalty incident. Owens chooses not to award the foul this time though. Cork 1-6 Limerick 1-4
19 Mins: Cian Lynch was unmarked inside there for a second, but Peter Casey couldn’t put him in on goal. Kyle Hayes plays a lovley crossfield pass to Gillane, but his effort trails wide. Cork 1-6 Limerick 1-4
18 Mins: Diarmuid Healy knocks over another point from out wide. Cork 1-6 Limerick 1-4
17 Mins: William Buckley steps inside Seán Finn and fires a point from a narrow angle. Nickie Quaid and the rest of the Limerick team are adamant it was wide, but the score stands. Cian Lynch gets a good score at the other end. Cork 1-5 Limerick 1-4
15 Mins: GOAL for Limerick! Diarmaid Byrnes hits a free short and the Cork crowd jeer, but Hegarty gets up, fetches it and puts it beyond Collins! Cork 1-4 Limerick 1-3
14 Mins: Cian Lynch does well to get away from Shane Barrett and wins a free. The maor uisce comes onto to dry the handle of the hurl, but James Owens sends him packing. O’Connor puts it over anyways. Cork 1-4 Limerick 0-3
12 Mins: Cork escape well from the Limerick press and Hegarty goes into the book for a little flick on Healy. O’Mahony points from the free again. Cork 1-4 Limerick 0-2
11 Mins: Aidan O’Connor misses another free from inside the Cork half. It looks very tricky into that end. Cork do well to marshal Gillane when the next ball comes inside. The ball goes back to Brian Hayes, who wins a 45′ for Cork, which is struck over by Tim O’Mahony. Cork 1-3 Limerick 0-2
8 Mins: GOAL for Cork! Mark Coleman steps up and drives it into the bottom corner. Quaid was close, but it was struck too hard for him to get to it. Cork 1-2 Limerick 0-2
7 Mins: Collins’ next puckout goes straight out for a sideline inside the Limerick 21′, amazingly. Cork probably need to build their lead.
Penalty for Cork! That will help! Kyle Hayes pulls down Brian Hayes as a long ball comes into the full-forward. A needless and obvious tackle. Cork 0-2 Limerick 0-2
5 Mins: Cork make their own first goal chance, with Diarmuid Healy slipping Hayes in on goal, but his effort goes just over the bar. Collins’ puckouts are reaching all the way into the opposite 45′ thanks to that wind. Peter Casey wins a free from the puckout and O’Connor puts this one wide. Cork 0-2 Limerick 0-2
4 Mins: Diarmuid Healy gets Cork’s first point straight from the puckout. Then Gillane spins O’Donoghue and slips O’Neill in on goal, but Collins comes out quickly and smothers the effort, putting it out for a 65′. Aidan O’Connor pops that one over. Cork 0-1 Limerick 0-2
2 Mins: Peter Casey takes no chances, taking the ball right into the 20 metre line and popping it over. Cork 0-0 Limerick 0-1
1 Min: Some dodgy attempts at lifting the ball early show just how difficult conditions might be down there. Aaron Gillane take the first shot of the game and the breeze takes it well wide in the end. Cork have a huge breeze behind them in the first half. Cork 0-0 Limerick 0-0
The teams are parading around Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The rain is pouring now, so it’ll be a slippy surface for the players, but the weather is not quieting the crowd at all. A packed house for this one.
Just to look back on the last four meetings of these sides, starting with last year’s Munster final. Cork fans may note that the home side has won each of these fixtures:
Munster final 2025 - Cork 1-30 Limerick 2-27 (Cork win on pens)
League 2026 - Limerick 3-19 Cork 0-20
League final 2026 - Limerick 1-27 Cork 1-21
Munster 2026 - Cork 2-22 Limerick 1-23
Just over 20 minutes until throw-in for the Munster final. Here are the teams named to start.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Damien Cahalane, Seán O’Donoghue; Eoin Downey, Rob Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Tommy O’Connell; Barry Walsh, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, William Buckley.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Barry Nash, Dan Morrissey, Seán Finn; Diarmaid Byrnes, Will O’Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Shane O’Brien, Darragh O’Donovan; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Cathal O’Neill; Aaron Gillane, Aidan O’Connor, Peter Casey.
For Cork the main news is that Darragh Fitzgibbons is not back to fitness yet.
For Limerick, Adam English is out in midfield, with Shane O’Brien named to start. He’ll play in the full-forward line, so you would imagine Lynch will be in midfield and O’Connor back into centre-forward.
Joe Canning is expecting an even contest in the Munster final, even though he also warns that neither side will be happy with just a provincial title this year.
[Joe Canning: Dublin and Galway have more at stake than Cork and Limerick this weekend]
Possibly the greatest hurler to never win the All-Ireland, Pat Horgan, sees his home county as big contenders for the Liam McCarthy. With his new perspective in his first year of retirement, ‘Hoggy’ also sees Cork nicking this final ahead of Limerick in a tight game, reports Ian O’Riordan.
[Cork are 100% All-Ireland contenders again this year, says Patrick Horgan]
The winner of today’s game will go straight to the All-Ireland semi-final, whereas the loser will face Offaly in the quarters.
Even though the hurling championship hasn’t caught fire yet, Nicky English is expecting that to change for today’s face-off between Limerick and Cork. He sees opportunities arising for the Treaty County with Aaron Gillane back to fitness.
[Nicky English: Limerick and Cork still standard-bearers as provincial finals take centre stage]
Denis Walsh has taken a look into a key man who could make all the difference for Cork today. Brian Hayes has been top class for Cork in the last two years, and his form seems to be getting better and better.
[In Cork, they unearthed a diamond in Brian Hayes. Polished, now]
Hello and welcome to live coverage of today’s Munster Hurling Final. It’s one of the landmark days in the GAA calendar regardless of the teams involved, but it’s also a repeat of last year’s final between rivals Limerick and Cork. It will also be the fourth time this year that Ben O’Connor and John Kiely meet on the sideline, with Limerick winning the two league encounters and Cork winning the Munster round-robin tie.
Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be hopping for this one. Throw-in is at 2pm.
