Nickie Quaid: Because he has the sport’s best puckout means his shot-stopping can be overlooked but not here with two crucial full-length diving saves, first from Diarmuid Healy that was destined for the top corner, then from Mark Coleman that was heading into the bottom one. 8

Seán Finn: Bar when he was rounded by William Buckley for a 17th-minute point, closed the gate on whoever was in his orbit, keeping his most common direct marker Alan Connolly scoreless from play. 7

Dan Morrissey: His typically solid self; keeping Brian Hayes to just the one score from play – albeit a goal – is beyond respectable. 7

Barry Nash: Snuck up for a trademark point on 23 minutes and helped keep the Cork full-forward line scoreless from play for the last half hour. 7

Diarmuid Byrnes: Personified Limerick’s day. Wasn’t all good – one of several poor clearances led to Cork’s second goal and fluffed an injury-time sideline cut – but came up with game-winning plays, like converting a couple of long-range frees in the clutch. 8

William O'Donoghue: Helped Limerick settle by providing the assist for their opening point and crucially finished even stronger, coming out with the ball more than once in those frantic final minutes. 7

Kyle Hayes: Not his finest hour – that first hour that is, giving away a penalty and dropping a couple of shots short midway through the second half. But had a storming last 10 minutes, driving forward to crucially set up a Hegarty point that drew Limerick level. 7

Cian Lynch: Had a couple of nice assists early on before fading out only to finish strong again in the clutch with some characteristic pop passes. 7

Darragh O'Donovan: Didn’t have all his own way but ultimately had the most influence of all four starting midfielders by how often he won and emerged with ball. 7

Gearóid Hegarty: Switching him inside in the closing minutes was the gamechanger. Up to then he had been peripheral, bar his 15th-minute goal, but upon that switch caused mayhem, even if a late miss and late free could have been costly. 7

Shane O'Brien: Quiet game, bar a lovely point just before half-time when he killed the ball marvellously on his stick. Taking him off to move Hegarty inside ultimately swung the game. 6

Cathal O'Neill: Another of their post-Covid newcomers to have a subdued game bar for one brilliant individual point towards the end of the first half. Came off injured minutes later. 6

Aaron Gillane: The first time he has gone scoreless in a championship game against Cork. While he set up a goal chance for Cathal O’Neill early on, just wasn’t his day, shooting several wides and even been blocked down. Fought hard to win a couple of frees before been taken off just 10 minutes into the second half. 5 

Aidan O'Connor: Missed two of his first three deadballs and tellingly was taken off them again in injury-time as Diarmuid Byrnes was deemed more dependable in the clutch. Still finished with 0-8 to his name though. 6 

Peter Casey: Had a lively start, scoring Limerick’s opening point and coming up with a couple of early assists, and an even stronger finish, scoring a couple of key points and diving full-lengh to foil a Collins short puckout. 7.5

Subs:

Tom Morrissey: Scored two tidy points within 10 minutes of been thrown into the action and also got onto some crucial breaks during Limerick’s power play in the last 10 minutes. 7

Adam English: Turned the game upon coming on for Gillane in the 49th minute, with his go-forward dynamism and industry. Also got a block in to stop a certain Cork point. 8

David Reidy: Part of that power surge in the closing minutes, though had Cork been the ones to edge this there’d be serious questions about him taking on and missing a shot out by the touchline. 6

Cork

by Eamonn Murphy

Patrick Collins: Couldn’t do much about the goal but made a series of terrific saves otherwise, denying Hegarty, Shane O’Brien, Casey and Cathal O’Neill. Very mixed return from deliveries, with a few long restarts skidding out for sidelines but Cork weren’t aerially strong enough either. 7

Seán O’Donoghue: Strong first half on his old nemesis Gillane but coughed up a needless yellow card, for a foul on Peter Casey. That led to his replacement early in the second half when he had been utterly dominant. A blow to Cork. 7

Damien Cahalane: Unusual match-up on the diminutive skillful Casey but kept him in check in the first half. Ended up on Gillane and then Hegarty. Another very honest Munster final showing. 7

Niall O’Leary: Man-marked Shane O’Brien very tightly and limited him to a point before he was replaced. Peter Casey did finish the game strongly but huge space had opened up by then. 7

Eoin Downey: Tasked with tracking Gearóid Hegarty in the first half, who thieved a goal when a Brynes free dropped short. Solid showing but wasn’t able to drive up as much as he likes. 6

Rob Downey: Arrowed a glorious first-half point after snaring a puck-out. Had the measure of Aidan O’Connor from play but when Limerick brought Adam English to midfield and moved Cian Lynch to 11, they got far more joy. 7

Mark Coleman: Stitched the penalty and kept Cathal O’Neill fairly quiet until he came off injured. Tom Morrissey did pick off two scores but Coleman was denied a goal by a flying Nickie Quaid. 6

Tommy O’Connell: Holding role at midfield, same as Darragh O’Donovan for Limerick. Excellent assist for Brian Hayes’ goal. 6

Tim O’Mahony: Tagging Cian Lynch once again until he moved to the forwards. Superb long-range placed balls with the wind and was fouled for two converted frees. 7

Diarmuid Healy: Grabbed two first-half points as well as earning a converted free. Won a vital late free but Diarmaid Byrnes had a big impact too. 7

Shane Barrett: Profited from Will O’Donoghue sitting deep and picked up a lot of possession towards midfield in the first. Didn’t score but fouled for two frees and had a couple of assists. Kept battling but couldn’t wriggle free in the second half. 6

Barry Walsh: Didn’t see a lot of ball in the first half but was clearly told to stick tight with Kyle Hayes. Fouled for a free but wasn’t an attacking threat overall. Did the job he was asked to do though. 6

William Buckley: Dangerous, despite a lack of ball, nabbing two points. Had a sniff of goal in the second half but just couldn’t escape the clutches of the Limerick full-back line. 6

Alan Connolly: Very quiet overall and only got the sliotar in his paw once in the danger zone. Reliable on the frees. 6

Brian Hayes: Fouled for the first-half penalty but got little quality possession. Limerick were very tuned in to his playmaking as much as his scoring. Took his goal with a very clever finish. 7

Subs:

Cormac O’Brien: On for O’Donoghue due to the yellow card. Limerick’s rotation of their forwards in the last quarter was match-winning. 6

Seamus Harnedy and Hugh O’Connor: On too late to rate.