Limerick's reign as Munster under-21 football champions ended at Kilmallock on Saturday evening. It was touch and go for most of the contest but the visitors put their greater experience to use in the final 10 minutes and none more so than corner forward James Masters who ended the Limerick challenge with a 55th minute goal.

Limerick points from Colm Hickey, Conor Fitzgerald and Peter Lawlor opened up a 0-5 to 0-3 lead but they failed to score again over the next 30 minutes and a brace of points from Paudie Hurley had Cork on terms 0-5 each at the break.

In the third quarter it was practically all Cork and a series of points from Willie Morgan, Hurley, Masters and Con McCarthy had them in control 0-11 to 0-5. Fitzgerald and Hickey raised Limerick's hopes but they were dashed by Masters goal.

CORK: K Murphy; D Duggan, G Canty, S O'Brien; N O'Leary, A O'Connor, T Kenny; D Kavanagh (0-1), D O'Sullivan; C McCarthy (0- 1), J Olden (0-1), P Hurley (0-3); J Masters (1-3), J O'Connell, W Morgan (0-3). Subs: E Wiseman for Duggan; C Twomey for O'Sullivan.

LIMERICK: S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, B Geary, P McCarthy; C Mullane, (0-1), J Stokes, P O'Dea; J Lydon, J Galvin; E Keating, P Lawlor, (0-1), S Lavin; C Fitzgerald, (0-2), D Laing, C Hickey (0-4). Sub: J McElligott for Laing

Referee: B White (Tipperary).