Official Aras Mumhan Website

  • This event has passed.

2021 Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Final – Cork 1-17 Limerick 0-13

August 11, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Cork defeated Limerick by 1-17 to 0-13 in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Final on Wednesday August 11th at Semple Stadium Thurles.

Cork complete clean sweep of Munster underage titles after surviving Limerick scare

Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Cork 1-17 Limerick 0-13

Victory for Cork in this evening’s Munster minor football final completed a clean sweep of provincial underage titles for the county.

Cork’s thundering finish – the winners kicked eight without reply between the 52nd minute and the call for full-time to go from one behind to seven in front at the finish – ended the county’s 11-year wait for Munster minor football glory.

The win, as mentioned above, also delivered a Cork clean sweep of Munster U20 hurling, U20 football, minor hurling, and minor football titles for the first time since 2005.

Incredibly hard were Cork made to work for this latest piece of Munster silverware, Limerick moving 0-12 to 1-8 in front at the second water break after a third-quarter where they outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-2.

Unanswered bursts of three and four points put Limerick on the cusp of a first Munster minor crown since 1956, with Emmet Rigter, Sean Geraghty, and Darragh Murray (0-5) the providers during this Treaty spell of dominance.

Mind you, it must be noted that Limerick benefited from the awarding of a number of soft frees within range of the Cork posts during this third quarter.

Hugh O’Connor brought Cork back level on 48 minutes and while Darragh Murray’s seventh free of the final did momentarily shove Limerick back in front, Cork powered down the home stretch to run out seven-point winners.

On song during this Cork sprint for the finish line was man of the match O’Connor, Jamie O’Driscoll, Rory O’Shaughnessy, Sam Copps, and subs Dylan Crowley and Luke O’Herlihy.

Cork had been less than convincing during an error-ridden first-half, at the end of which Michael O’Brien’s charges led 1-6 to 0-5.

With the lively O’Connor having kicked 1-1 inside the opening four minutes to propel Cork into an early four-point lead, one suspected that the youngsters in red might quickly race off into the distance. But what transpired couldn’t have been further from this eventuality.

Cork, so wasteful in attack, did not add to their tally in the ensuing 18 minutes. Michael McSweeney and Jack O’Neill were both guilty of dropping point attempts into the hands of Limerick ‘keeper Craig MacInness, with the Treaty number one producing a fine stop to deny O’Connor shortly after. The resulting ‘45 was sent wide, compounding Cork frustration at their repeated failure to build on O’Connor’s early 1-1.

Back-to-back white flags from Ruairi Cronin and Conall Ó Duinn had Limerick back within two at the first water break and the gap was cut to the minimum when Darragh Murray converted a placed-ball on 16 minutes.

Limerick, though, were unable to find an equaliser as they too were guilty of wastefulness in the scoring zone. Kevin Denihan’s young troops, who were asking plenty of questions of the favourites, would have been most disappointed with their tally of seven first-half wides.

Cork eventually stumbled upon a rhythm late in the first half, outscoring their opponents by 0-5 to 0-2 between the 22nd minute and the call for half-time.

Hugh O’Connor was the player responsible for ending Cork’s 18-minute scoring drought when kicking his second point and it took until the 23rd minute for the Newmarket clubman to be joined on the scoresheet by another Cork player, Michael McSweeney finding the target.

O’Connor’s third of the evening made it three-in-a-row for the winners and while Murray did land a second free thereafter, a brace from half-forwards O’Neill and Colm Gillespie stretched Cork’s lead out to five.

There was still a fair bit of road to travel in this entertaining Munster final, with Cork showing commendable nerve to stare down Limerick’s final quarter lead and successfully swing the contest and the result back in their favour.

Cork will now play the winners of the Tyrone-Donegal Ulster final in the All-Ireland semi-final the weekend after next.

Scorers for Cork: H O’Connor (1-7, 0-2 frees); J O’Driscoll (0-2); D Twomey, M McSweeney, J O’Neill, C Gillespie, D Crowley, S Copps, R O’Shaughnessy, L O’Herlihy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: D Murray (0-8, 0-7 frees); S Geraghty (0-2); E Rigter, R Cronin, C Ó Duinn (0-1 each).

Cork: M O’Connell (St Michael’s); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), S O’Connell (Kilshannig), P O’Grady (Killavullen); S Copps (Mallow), C Twomey (Carbery Rangers), D O’Brien (Glanworth); M McSweeney (Knocknagree), R O’Shaughnessy (St Michael’s); J O’Neill (Castlehaven), N Kelly (Newcestown), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); O Corcoran (St Mary’s), J O’Driscoll (Castlehaven), H O’Connor (Newmarket).
Subs: B Hayes (Nemo Rangers) for Corcoran (38); A Kelleher (St Colum’s) for Twomey (44); D Crowley (Urhan) for Gillespie (47); F Crowley (St Finbarr’s) for McSweeney, L O’Herlihy (St Michael’s) for Kelly (both (50).

Limerick: C MacInnes (St Kieran’s); M Kilbridge (Fr Casey’s), J Behan (Ballybrown), D Clifford (Monaleen); L Murphy (St Kieran’s), A Neville (Newcastlewest), S Kiely (Monaleen); J Somers (Mungret St Paul’s), D Murray (Monaleen); M Nolan (Fr Casey’s), E Rigter (Newcastlewest), O O’Farrell (St. Senan’s); C O Duinn (Monaleen), R Cronin (Ahane), S Geraghty (Newcastlewest).
Subs: P Kennedy (Galbally) for Cronin (HT); R Quirke (Fr Casey’s) for Nolan (41 mins); D O’Connor (Fr Casey’s) for Murphy (50); S Cross (St Patrick’s) for Geraghty (62); J Ryan (Galtee Gaels) for Kiely (64).

Referee: C Maguire (Clare)

Ticket Information

The maximum capacity for this game is 4,400.

Tickets are €10 each and every one attending the game will need a ticket. There are no concessions available. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

Click here to purchase tickets for the Munster Minor Football Final

Live Streaming

This game will be streamed live by YouTube Spórt TG4.

Click here to view Cork v Limerick – Munster Minor Football Final

Match Programme

Tonight’s match programme will be available to purchase for 2 euro at Semple Stadium Thurles before the Munster Minor Football Final between Cork and Limerick.

Alternatively, the programme can be viewed online below.

Click here to view the match programme – Cork v Limerick Munster Minor Football Final

Team News

LIMERICK: Craig MacInnes (St Kierans); Michael Kilbridge (Fr Caseys), Jamie Behan (Ballybrown), Darragh Clifford (Monaleen); Lorcan Murphy (St Kierans), Aaron Neville (Newcastle West), Stephen Kiely (Monaleen); Jack Somers (Mungret St Pauls), Darragh Murray (Monaleen); Marc Nolan (Fr Caseys), Emmet Rigter (Newcastle West), Oisín O’Farrell (St Senans); Sean Geraghty (Newcastle West), Ruairi Cronin (Ahane), Conall O’ Duinn (Monaleen)
Subs: Colm O’Loughlin (Bruff), Calum Boyle (Fr Caseys), Shane Cross (St Patricks), Paddy Kennedy (Galbally), Dylan O’Connor (Fr Caseys), Culann Quigley (Fr Caseys), Ronan Quirke (Fr Caseys), Callum Ryan (Askeaton-Ballysteen), Jack Ryan (Galtee Gaels). Extended panel: Oisín Collins (Newcastle West), John Fitzgerald (Cappagh), Rob Galligan (Claughaun), Ross McNally (Claughaun), Matt Moane (Askeaton-Ballysteen), Oisín O’ Connor (Monaleen), Cathal O’ Mahony (Galbally), Killian O’Mahony (St Senans), Owen O’Sullivan (Galbally).

CORK (Munster MFC final v Limerick): M O’Connell (St Michael’s); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), S O’Connell (Kilshannig), P O’Grady (Killavullen); S Copps (Mallow), C Twomey (Carbery Rangers), D O’Brien (Glanworth); M McSweeney (Knocknagree), R O’Shaughnessy (St Michael’s); J O’Neill (Castlehaven), N Kelly (Newcestown), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); O Corcoran (St Mary’s), J O’Driscoll (Castlehaven), H O’Connor (Newmarket).
Subs: D Walsh (Douglas), F Crowley (St Finbarr’s), C Cusack (Nemo Rangers), A Kelleher (St Colum’s), D Crowley (Urhan), J Cunningham (Douglas), L O’Herlihy (St Michael’s), N Daly (Ilen Rovers), B Hayes (Nemo Rangers).

Details

Date:
August 11, 2021
Time:
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Venue

FBD Semple Stadium Thurles

GAA Units

Clare GAA
Cork GAA
Kerry GAA
Limerick GAA
Tipperary GAA
Waterford GAA
US GAA