Limerick hit rock bottom

Cork 0-16 Limerick 1-9:Cork condemned Limerick to division three football next season with a powerful last quarter surge at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

Cork, who will play in division two in 2008, trailed by 1-8 to 0-10 following Darren Horan's well-taken point after 46 minutes, but they outscored their championship opponents by seven points to one thereafter.

The departure of influential midfielder John Galvin with a leg injury moments after Micheal Reidy's 38th minute penalty clearly disrupted the visitors who couldn't live with Cork in the closing stages. Points from substitutes Daniel Goulding (2), Kieran O'Connor and Dermot Hurley, as well as a couple from James Masters and Conor McCarthy's third of the afternoon, saved Cork from the ignominy of dropping two divisions.

Limerick, who needed to win to avoid basement football next year, looked in a strong position, having restricted Cork to a slender one-point lead at the interval, 0-8 to 0-7, after the home side enjoyed the benefit of a stiff wind in the opening half.

Cork also missed a penalty after Kevin O'Sullivan's ninth minute effort was brilliantly turned aside by goalkeeper Sean Kiely for a fruitless 45.

CORK: K Murphy; M Prout, D Kavanagh, E Sexton; J Miskella, G Spillane (0-1), A Lynch; A O'Connor, N Murphy; C McCarthy (0-3), P O'Neill, K McMahon (0-1); J Masters (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 45), B Collins, K O'Sullivan (0-1). Subs: D Goulding (0-2) for O'Sullivan (46 mins), K O'Connor (0-1) for Kavanagh (46 mins), E Cadogan for O'Connor inj (59 mins), D Hurley (0-1) for O'Connor (61 mins).

LIMERICK: S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Gallagher; P Ahern (0-1), P Browne, P Ranahan; T Cahill, J Galvin (0-1); S Lavin (0-2), J Ryan, S Buckley; G Collins, D Horan (0-1), M Reidy (1-3 1-0 penalty, 0-3 frees). Subs: J Cooke for Ryan (half-time), J O'Brien for Galvin injured (41 mins), G Noonan (0-1) for Buckley (56 mins), M Crowley for Cooke inj (63 mins).

Referee: T Quigley (Dublin).