Gaelic Games

Limerick round off glorious year with Fenway Classic victory in Boston

All-Ireland champions never trailed in the final against Cork after blistering start

Limerick’s top scorer Barry Murphy in action against Damien Cahalane and Colm Spillane of Cork during the Fenway Classic final at Fenway Park in Boston. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Limerick’s top scorer Barry Murphy in action against Damien Cahalane and Colm Spillane of Cork during the Fenway Classic final at Fenway Park in Boston. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
John Fallon in Boston
Sun Nov 18 2018 - 21:47

Limerick 38, Cork 30

All-Ireland champions Limerick rounded off a glorious year by capturing the Aer Lingus Fenway Hurling Classic in Boston.

Limerick never trailed in the final as they built on a blistering start as they added the Players’ Champions Cup to their trophy cabinet.

Limerick players stand for the national anthem before the Fenway Classic final match against Cork at Fenway Park. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Limerick players stand for the national anthem before the Fenway Classic final match against Cork at Fenway Park. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.

Limerick led by 24-13 at half-time, having raced into a 21-0 lead after just eight minutes as John Kiely’s men blitzed the Munster champions.

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Barry Murphy blasted home two five-pointers from short corners and after Tom Morrissey chipped in with two other goals, they pulled further clear with an excellent effort from distance from Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch.

Cork eventually got moving and Patrick Horgan fired home a five-pointer and then added another three-point effort.

Cut the gap

But Kyle Hayes extended Limerick's lead before Cork cut the gap before the break when Shane Kingston found the net from a short corner to leave them 11 adrift at the interval.

They would have been further behind had Anthony Nash not produced a string of stunning saves which had the crowd of 12,674 on their feet.

Tom Morrissey and Bill Cooper exchanged three-pointers after the restart and Patrick Horgan cut the gap to 27-19 but Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid was also in top form.

Another effort from distance from Lynch extended Limerick’s lead, with an effort from Andrew La Touche Cosgrave making 35-19 going into the final quarter.

Conor Lehane and Cooper reduced the margin before Barry Murphy hit back for Limerick to seal the win.

LIMERICK: N Quaid, S Hickey, R English, S Finn, D Byrnes, D Hannon, D Morrissey, C Lynch (10), S Flanagan, G Mulcahy, T Morrissey (9), P Ryan, B Nash, G Hegarty, K Hayes (3), B Hennessy, A La Touche Cosgrave (3), O O'Reilly, A Gillane, B Murphy (13), P O'Loughlin, L Lyons, W O'Meara, D Reidy, C Ryan.

CORK: A Nash, S O'Donoghue, D Cahalane, C Spillane, C Joyce, E Cadogan, M Coleman, B Cooper (6), D Kearney, C Lehane (3), S Kingston (5), L Meade, T O'Mahony, P Horgan (16), J O'Connor, E Murphy, R O'Flynn, W Kearney, D Griffin, D Browne, J Coughlan, M Collins, C Twomey, S Murphy.

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny)