WITH so much joyous hurling history having been made in recent times, it was unusual to see the bleaker side. Bleak, however, is euphemistic when describing the mood in Cork hurling after this destruction by Limerick in the first round of the Guinness Munster championship at Pairc Ui Chaoimh yesterday.

Not since 1936 has the county been beaten so heavily in the championship and not since 1923 has the county been beaten at, home in the championship. Even the dismal roll call of statistics is inadequate to convey the depression.

"That," said one respected observer, "is rock bottom for Cork. Losing by 16 points to Limerick in the Pairc."

The specific reason behind the result was the disintegration of the team in the second half which they started leading by a point. Virtually nothing was won around the middle and the defence made some dreadful errors so a mere three points were added after the interval while 3-11 was being conceded.

Limerick's wasn't a flawless performance but it was confident and accomplished and contained encouraging signs for the future in the performances of some of the newcomers.

Principle amongst these was wing back Mark Foley whose initial inter county career was in the forwards. Yesterday he subdued Cork's captain Mark Mull ins - and the succession of other contenders dispatched to his wing - but his tidying up and good quick clearances were as eye catching.

Mike Houlihan's performance at centre field after an unexpectedly quick recovery from a facial injury was also notable. He had a thunderous duel with Sean McCarthy in the first half during which two sticks were broken in quick succession. In the second half, Houlahan contributed fully to his team's domination of the central zone.

Captain Ciaran Carey played a similarly leading role in subduing Brian Corcoran and pushing the team forward and on either side of him, Dave Clarke and Foley tightened the screws on an ineffective Cork half forward line.

By the end the result was so conclusive that it was difficult to remember that Cork had led.

Gloomy portents were in the air from an early stage. In the third minute, Corcoran was flattened after clearing a ball and never looked fully recovered thereafter although he didn't look injured. He was moved from centrefield to centre forward.

Within seconds, Houlihan drove a 70 metre free over the bar into the wind and Limerick were on their way. Several well taken scores pushed them into a healthy lead of 0-6 to 0-2 and 0-7 to 0-3 whereas Cork's forwards were squandering much of the chances they got. Nine first half wides give an indication.

It took some good defence and excellent goalkeeping by Ger Cunningham to keep out Limerick when they were in full flow but in some senses they deceived a little in the first half. Both Mike Galligan and Damien Quigley contributed points which seemed to suggest a productive afternoon in store for both but neither raised a flag after the 12th minute.

The closing stages of the first half provided the only evidence of the afternoon that Limerick were in trouble. The instrument of their discomfort was Alan Browne who maintained his goal a match championship record. Having taken a high ball from Teddy McCarthy in the 30th minute and pointed he struck again within two minutes.

A quick free by Cunningham found Kelleher and he drove the ball into Browne who made space to finish to the net. It sent Cork in a point to the good, 1-5 to 0-7 and reasonably happy.

However, within the three minutes between the 38th and 41st, Houlihan, TJ Ryan, a hugely impressive replacement, for Quigley, who ended the day with four points from play, Carey and Gary Kirby bagged the points that moved the winners three points in front from where they never looked back.

Lingering chances of a Cork recovery died in the space of another three minutes. No sooner had Barry Egan come close to making a connection down at the Limerick goal than, in the 46th minute, Padraig Tobin who had fared poorly on John O'Driscoll up to then, was the beneficiary of a ghastly error by the full back who allowed the ball to run through for Tobin to scramble it the net.

In the 49th, Tobin again slipped the defence and this time kicked to the net. At 2-12 to 1-7, there was no way back for Cork.

Tom Ryan, the Limerick manager, has endured much disappointment over the last couple of years but each championship, his team has delivered at least one quality performance. He won't have been deceived by the margin of victory into overlooking weaknesses.

Nevertheless, for the moment Ryan and his team can reflect on an impressive achievement under pressure which substantiated the brimming confidence with which they approached yesterday's encounter.