Razor-sharp Limerick compensated for 13 barren years with a devastating performance which rocked Cork in a surprisingly one-sided Munster under-21 hurling final replay in front of 12,000 spectators at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick last evening.

It was difficult to believe that two weeks earlier the new champions had salvaged a last-gasp equaliser at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The win gave Limerick a historic first double, adding to the under-21 provincial football crown, in which Cork were also their victims last May.

Four of last night's team, Brian Geary, Stephen Lucey, Brian Begley and Mark Keane, shared in both successes.

It was a night of misery for Cork who knew their fate was sealed at the interval when they trailed 2-9 to 0-4.

Man of the match Keane rattled over four points in the opening quarter for Limerick, who delivered two telling blows in a four-minute spell coming up to the interval.

Begley's stinging shot hit the back of the net on 23 minutes, and then he turned provider for captain Donncha Sheehan, who rattled in their second goal.

Sheehan left the visitors with a mountain to climb three minutes into the second half when he fastened onto a delivery from Begley to beat goalkeeper Bernard Rochford.

Cork introduced two substitutes early in the second half in an attempt to take the sting from Limerick, but while substitute Willie Deasy scored their only goal, the Limerick response was another goal from the majestic Keane.

Limerick revelled in the sunshine and wide open spaces in the Gaelic Grounds, with the half-back line of Paul O'Reilly, Brian Geary and Willie Walsh particularly prominent as the county won this championship for the first time since 1987.

Cork had no excuses to offer. They were also outclassed in midfield where Gerry O'Connor and Alan O'Connor gave way to John Meskell and Stephen Lucey.

But it was up front that Limerick really prospered, with Keane, Begley and Sheehan helping themselves to a bagful of scores.

Limerick now play Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final at Parnell Park, Dublin on Saturday (2.0).

Limerick: T Houlihan; D Reale, E Mulcahy, P Reale; P O'Reilly, B Geary, W Walsh; J Meskell, S Lucey; P O'Grady (0-2), S O'Connor, D Stapleton (0-5); D Sheehan (2-0), B Begley (1-2), M Keane (1-9).

Cork: B Rochford; P Sexton, M Fitzgerald, D McNamara; A Fitzpatrick, R Curran, J Barrett; J O'Connor, A O'Connor; R O'Doherty (0-10), N McCarthy (0-1), E Fitzgerald; H Egan, N Ronan, B O'Connor (0-4). Subs: C McCarthy for N McCarthy; W Deasy (1-0) for McNamara; M O'Callaghan for Fitzgerald.

Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).