Cork–Limerick hurling rivalry explained

Cork-Limerick
Team1:	Cork
Team2:	Limerick
First Contested:	Cork 4-8 - 0-00 Limerick 1893 Munster final (5 November 1893)
Most Player Appearances:	Christy Ring (11)
Top Scorer:	Patrick Horgan (5-80)
Mostrecent:	Cork 1-28 - 0-29 Limerick 2024 (7th July 2024)
Next Meeting:	7 May 2025 - Munster Championship
Total:	70
Largestvictory:	Cork 7-12 - 1-4 Limerick 1905 Munster final (10 February 1907)

The Cork-Limerick rivalry is a hurling rivalry between Irish county teams Cork and Limerick, who first played each other in 1893. Since the turn of the century it has come to be regarded as one of the biggest rivalries in Gaelic games.^[1] Cork's home ground is Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Limerick's home ground is the Gaelic Grounds, with fixtures alternating between the two venues.

While Cork are the standard bearers in Munster, Limerick have enjoyed success at sporadic intervals -they have won just six All-Ireland titles since 1940 although 5 of these came recently, in 2018,2020,2021,2022 and 2023. At All-Ireland level Cork are second on the all-time roll of honour with thirty titles, while Limerick rank in fourth position with twelve All-Ireland titles. On 29 July 2018, the sides met at Croke Park for the first time in the championship in the all Ireland semi-final. The counties met on 22 August 2021 in the all Ireland final, also a first. Limerick were victorious, scoring 3-32 - an all time record.

Statistics

Up to date as of 2023 season

Team	All-Ireland	Provincial	National League	Total
Cork	30	54	14	98
	12	23	14	49
Combined	42	77	28	147

Recent results

Championship

	Cork win
	Limerick win
	Drawn game

width=1		width=5	No.	width=110	Date	width=100	Winners	width=70	Score	width=100	Runners-up	width=150	Venue	width=150	Stage
	46	20 July 1980	Limerick (10)	2-14 - 2-10	Cork		Munster final
	47	26 June 1983	Cork (34)	1-14 - 1-12	Limerick		Munster semi-final replay
	48	3 June 1984	Cork (35)	3-15 - 2-13	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	49	16 June 1985	Cork (36)	2-13 - 1-9	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	50	14 June 1987	Cork	3-11 - 3-11	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	51	28 June 1987	Cork (37)	3-14 - 0-10	Limerick		Munster semi-final replay
	52	5 July 1992	Cork (38)	1-22 - 3-11	Limerick		Munster final
	53	5 June 1994	Limerick (11)	4-14 - 4-11	Cork		Munster quarter-final
	54	26 May 1996	Cork (12)	1-8 - 3-18	Limerick		Munster quarter-final
	55	31 May 1998	Cork (39)	1-20 - 3-11	Limerick		Munster quarter-final
	56	4 June 2000	Cork (40)	2-17 - 1-11	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	57	27 May 2001	Limerick (13)	1-16 - 1-15	Cork		Munster quarter-final
	58	29 June 2002	Cork (41)	1-16 - 1-15	Limerick		All-Ireland qualifiers
	59	30 May 2004	Cork (42)	1-18 - 2-12	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	60	22 July 2006	Cork (43)	0-19 - 0-18	Limerick		All-Ireland quarter-final
	61	20 June 2010	Cork (44)	2-19 - 0-12	Limerick		Munster semi-final
	62	14 July 2013	Limerick (14)	0-24 - 0-15	Cork		Munster final
	63	13 July 2014	Cork (45)	2-24 - 0-24	Limerick		Munster Final
	64	29 July 2018	Limerick (15)	3-32 - 2-31	Cork		All-Ireland Semi Final
	65	19 May 2019	Cork (46)	1-26 - 1-19	Limerick		Munster round 2
	66	3 July 2021	Limerick (16)	2-22 - 1-17	Cork		Munster Semi Final
	67	22 August 2021	Limerick (17)	3-32 - 1-22	Cork		All-Ireland Final
	68	17 April 2022	Limerick (18)	2-25 - 1-17	Cork		Munster round 1
	69	28 May 2023^[2]	Limerick (19)	3-25 - 1-30	Cork		Munster round 5
	70	11 May 2024^[3]	Cork (47)	3-28 - 3-26	Limerick		Munster round 3

Records

Scorelines

• Biggest win:
  • For Cork (26 pts):
    • Cork 7-12 - 1-4 Limerick, Munster quarter-final, Fraher Field, 10 February 1907
  • For Limerick (16pts):
    • Limerick 3-18 - 1-8 Cork, Munster quarter-final, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 26 May 1996
    • Limerick 3-32 - 1-22 Cork, All-Ireland Final, Croke Park, 22 August 2021
• Highest aggregate (78 pts):
  • Limerick 3-32 - 2-31 Cork, All-Ireland Semi Final, Croke Park, 29 July 2018

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Team	Score	Total	Appearances
1	Patrick Horgan	Cork	5-80	95	2010, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2021, 2022, 2023
2	Aaron Gillane	Limerick	2-44	50	2018, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2021, 2022, 2023
3	John Fenton	Cork	3-35	44	1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1987
4	Christy Ring	Cork	5-21	36	1940, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1956
5	Éamonn Cregan	Limerick	5-19	34	1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1983

External links

• Cork v Limerick all-time results

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rock of Ages: Memories of the Cork-Limerick Rivalry. GAA website. 11 July 2013. 16 June 2014.
2. Web site: Limerick to face Clare in Munster final after defeating Cork in thriller . Irish Examiner . 15 October 2023.
3. Web site: Cork keep season alive with last-gasp win over Limerick . RTE . 20 May 2024.