Superb Cork stun Limerick to end drive for five and book All-Ireland final spot

Four and no more. For this year at least.

Cork stunned Limerick and the hurling world by ending the champions' pursuit of a first five-in-a-row in a breathless semi-final scorefest.

The Rebels had beaten the champions in the provincial group stage but few gave them a chance of repeating the trick today.

Few outside of Cork that is – their fans had faith and travelled in big numbers, making this the highest ever attendance for a semi, the 82,300 at Croke Park over double the crowd for Clare's win over Kilkenny on Saturday.

The champions were two points ahead, 0-16 to 1-11, after a frantic first-half that had seen Cork pull five clear through a Brian Hayes goal before Limerick reasserted control.

But Pat Ryan’s team came storming back in the third quarter, scoring 10 points from as many shots in the first 11 minutes of the second half as Darragh Fitzgibbon ran remorselessly and Declan Dalton, Seamus Harnedy, Shane Barrett and Patrick Horgan – scoreless in the opening 35 - filled their boots.

They led by seven after 57 minutes but Limerick fought like the great team they are, Aaron Gillane (0-10, 4f) and young subs Adam English and Shane O'Brien helping to cut the gap to two points as four minutes of injury-time loomed.

The tension was suffocating but Cork held out to inflict Limerick’s first knockout defeat in five years and book a rematch of the 2013 All-Ireland decider against Clare.

More to follow…