I LOVE THAT REBEL YELL!

Ryan’s joy as his side roar back from eight behind

MIRROR REPORTER

NEW Cork manager Pat Ryan was pleased with the strength of the response as his side came good in the second half against Limerick in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night.

The Rebels came from eight points down at half-time to earn victory in Ryan’s first Allianz Hurling League outing as goals from Robbie O’flynn and Declan Dalton helped to turn the game their way.

While Limerick moved back in front after a long hold-up due to an O’flynn injury, Cork finished with points from Patrick Horgan, Conor Lehane Shane Kingston to take the win.

“In fairness, they got a couple of good scores and came back into it,”

Ryan (right) said.

“Obviously, we had a bit of momentum before

Robbie’s injury and that was killed when they got those scores but I thought we defended manfully in the second half,

Limerick only scored six points. We’d two fellas making their debuts in the full-back line, Conor [O’callaghan] and Eoin [Downey], and I thought they were outstanding,.

“It was great to get the win in the end, but we move on now next week to Galway.”

Limerick looked superior in the first half, with Gearóid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey and Colin Coughlan among those impressing.

While Cork were back to within two, 0-10 to 0-8, at the halfhour mark, Limerick finished the half with six straight points.

Cork got on top after the restart and outscored their visitors by 2-3 to 0-1, Dalton setting up

O’flynn for the first goal before the favour was returned as the game was levelled, 2-11 to 0-17. While Adam English put Limerick back in front, Cork hit three on the trot — a Horgan brace sandwiching a fine Ciarán Joyce effort — to lead by two as the hour approached.

The loss of O’flynn looked to have affected Cork as Limerick hit four in a row late on, subs Ciarán Barry and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh on target, but Cork had a final kick.

Horgan scored his 10th of the night before the hard-working Lehane levelled and then that pair combined to set up Kingston for the winner.

“I know we will be disappointed with some phases of the play that we just didn’t develop well,” said Treaty boss John Kiely.