REBELS ARE STUNG BY GREEN SWARM
Limerick finish with a flourish as they break down Cork's fierce resistance in extra time to book their place In All-Ireland decider
THIS evening, RTÉ will screen the first part of The Game, a three-part documentary on hurling. A run-through of the ancient game, distilled for a modern audience.
Right now, its timing looks like a stroke of marketing genius as the game rides a wave of positive publicity like never before, enthralling and enchanting with each and every passing weekend.
After what was hailed as one of the greatest of games on Saturday night — a record scorefest in which both Clare and Galway broke the game’s glass ceiling of 30 white flags — this was yet another gift from the gods.
Those two counties had provided an extra-time rollercoaster of a game that requires a replay at Thurles next Sunday, and this one was cut from the same cloth, a breathless, whirlwind encounter that went score from score until Limerick finally broke Cork’s resistance in the second period of added time.
First Shane Dowling sent Anthony Nash the wrong way from a penalty and then another of Limerick’s heavyweight bench, Pat Ryan, wrapped up a place in the final with a sensational lobbed finish to the net after cutting in along the sideline in front of Hill 16.
It was just the latest twist in a captivating game in front of over 70,000 people that saw Limerick first come storming back from six points down (1-26 to 1-20), with just six minutes of normal time left. Dowling’s impact was massive, making claims for Man of the Match by walking off the field at the end with 1-4.
With Ryan also finding the net and Peter Casey and William O’Donoghue helping to turn the tide, Limerick’s impact from the bench was critical. By contrast, Cork bemoaned the loss of the injured Daniel Kearney who had been hurling up a storm and midfielder Darragh Fitzgibbon was another who was helped from the field before the finish.
The result means Cork have lost five of their last six All-Ireland semifinals while Limerick get a chance to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time since 1973.
And yet… If there was one turning point in a game of such incident and accident, it was Nickie Quaid’s incredible intervention to deprive Seamus Harnedy of what looked like a certain matchwinning goal in the 72nd minute of normal time with the scores tied. Robbie O’Flynn cut in from the left wing and played the ball across to the Cork captain, who brought a high pass down and turned inside to strike for goal. It took the slowmotion replays to pick out how Quaid showed incredible timing to stick the hurley in and flick the ball to safety at the vital moment. Just like Jake Morris hitting the post and Clare grabbing a goal against Tipperary to stay alive in Munster, this was the incident on which Limerick’s day turned.
It finished then, after extra time, with Limerick manager John Kiely gathering his players and backroom team in a circle on the field and savouring this victory which put the county back in a final for the first time since Kilkenny broke hearts in 2007.
If Galway or Clare go on to win the All-Ireland senior hurling title, it will now require at least nine matches, a record.
If Limerick go on to win, it will require eight, matching Offaly in 1998 who many deem to have won the All-Ireland to beat any All-Ireland.
For quality, drama, and depth of competition, this is surely the greatest hurling Championship ever.
In an electric first quarter that went point for point, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Harnedy and Daniel Kearney were all leading the charge for Cork while Gearóid Hegarty and Aaron Gillane looked most dangerous for Limerick
Twice Gillane fielded over his marker Colm Spillane and could have goaled, booting the first chance over the bar and then dragging another kicked effort with his right foot well wide of the goal in the 28th minute.
Limerick were reaping dividends with their diagonal ball into the attack while Cork were creating problems by running from deeper and utilising the pace in the team, Shane Kingston drifting in behind into space just before half-time and firing a shot goalward that Quaid showed brilliant reflexes to instinctively tip over.
Injury-time saw Seamus Flanagan win possession to the right of goal and keep his head up to pick out Cian Lynch ghosting in behind to find the net.
An explosive second half though from Cork’s Conor Lehane, who hit 1-3, helped put the Munster champions in a deserved match-winning position, Patrick Horgan’s freetaking feeding into the scoring.
With Cork leading 1-26 to 1-20, the Limerick comeback was just the latest chapter in a storybook summer, Gillane even firing his team ahead before Horgan’s nerveless equaliser.
All that was left was for extra time to add to the heart-stopping drama, Dowling converting the penalty he had earned himself and Pat Ryan putting the gloss on another unforgettable contest, Cork’s late goal just not enough.