Ronan returns to inspire Cork

National Hurling League/ Cork 1-20 Limerick 0-10: A fine start for new Cork manager John Allen as the All-Ireland Champions produced an impressive display of accurate point taking to easily overcome Limerick at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon.

Cork lined out with 10 of the team that won last year's All-Ireland final. Allen included Neil Ronan at full forward for his first game since returning from Australia, where he had lived and worked in recent years, and what a display the Ballyhea man produced as he scored seven points from play over the 70 minutes.

Limerick selected Mark Keane at corner forward, for his first outing in the county colours in two years, and it was the South Liberties clubman who scored three early points, to see Limerick lead by 0-4 to 0-0 after 19 minutes.

The Cork men then took over, with the forwards moving well and finding their range from all distances.

The tall Ronan, who had helped Cork win the 1999 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, led the forwards well as he, Joe Deane and Niall and Timmy McCarthy all got on the scoresheet to leave the homeside leading by 0-12 to 0-5 at the break.

Ronan started the second half in a similar fashion, creating massive problems for the visiting defence. H total would have been even greater but for a fine save from Limerick goalkeeper John Cahill midway through the second half.

Cork were not to be denied a goal and when it came it was worth waiting for, with substitute Kieran Murphy setting up Ben O'Connor with a fine hand pass and the Newtownshandrum man sent a powerful shot to the roof of Cahill's net form 20 metres out.

With the game over as a contest well before the final whistle, both managers were able to give all their substitutes a run in the closing stages of a match that attracted an attendance of 7,223.

Cork will certainly take plenty of encouragement from their performance. Their defence played well in front of goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack and the midfield duo of Tom Kenny and Jerry O'Connor also impressed.

For Limerick manager Pad Joe Whelehan this was a big setback. Not so much the defeat, but the manner of it, as the county needed a good performance to boost confidence for the year ahead.

CORK: D Óg Cusack; J Browne, D O'Sullivan,P Mulcahy; G Callinan, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny (0-1), J O'Connor (0-2); B O'Connor (1-1, 0-1 free), N McCarthy (0-3), T McCarthy (0-2); J O'Callaghan, N Ronan (0-7), J Deane (0-3). Subs: K Murphy (0-1) for J O'Callaghan (38 mins), J Gardiner for J O'Connor (51 mins), J Bowles for T McCarthy (64 mins), R McGregor for Kenny (65 mins), P Kelly for Ó hAilpín (67 mins), B Corcoran for N McCarthy (70 mins).

LIMERICK: J Cahill; D Reale, B Geary, M Cahill; O Moran, TJ Ryan, P Lawlor; D O'Grady, P Tobin (0-1); D Ryan, P Cahill, JP Sheahan; A O'Shaughnessey, M Foley, M Keane (0-7, five frees, one 65). Substitutes: P O'Dwyer (0-1) for Lawlor (inj, 2 mins), A O'Connor (0-1) for Ryan (half-time), K O'Dwyer for Sheahan (46 mins), P O'Grady for Tobin (60 mins), D Sheahan for Cahill (63 mins).

Yellow cards - Cork: J O'Callaghan (38 mins), replaced by K Murphy; N McCarthy (70 mins), replaced by B Corcoran.

Referee: S McMahon (Clare).