LIMERICK SERVE UP A TREAT

Kiely’s men lay down marker against Cork

- BY PAT NOLAN

ANY suggestions that this game would be something of a phoney war clearly didn't penetrate the Limerick dressing room.

Having lost twice to Cork in last year's Championship, with their five-in-a-row ambitions perishing as a result, Limerick weren't looking to potential meetings further down the line to make their mark.

After picking up three points on the road, John Kiely told the Limerick fans that he wanted to “hear every single last one of them’ in their two closing home games, and, in the brilliant sunshine, their supporters in the capacity 42,477 crowd were up for it just as much as the players.

At a time when question marks were starting to hover around whether Limerick had just passed their peak, they delivered arguably their greatest half of hurling, standing comparison with the likes of their sensational second half comeback against Tipperary in the 2021 Munster final and the first half of All-Ireland final against Cork that same year.

Tom Morrissey had two points scored within the first 80 seconds. Aaron Gillane quickly followed that up with the opening goal, making the most of Niall O'Leary's slip before turning Ciarán Joyce and recognising that he had enough time to turn onto his favoured left side to fire past Patrick Collins.