Peter Casey's terrific 57th-minute goal handed holders Limerick a brilliant 1-14 to 0-14 semi-final victory over Cork at the Gaelic Grounds tonight.

Victory sees the three-in-a-row-chasing Treaty County progress to a third successive Munster final in this grade, where they will face Tipperary on July 12th (in Thurles).

Cork led for almost the entire match but frustratingly wasteful shooting meant they never put their opponents away and - almost inevitably - they paid the ultimate price. Over the hour, the losers - who have now gone seven years without reaching a Munster minor hurling final - recorded a whopping 15 wides, while much more efficient Limerick were off target just four times.

Na Piarsaigh clubman Casey finished the night with a match-winning tally of 1-6 to his credit.

The visitors started best and had the better of the opening twenty minutes but Leo O'Connor's charges finished the first half strongly with four of the last five points to turn around level, 0-7 apiece.

These two teams met in the quarter-final of the same competition in April, with the Rebels cantering to a comfortable ten-point victory on that occasion. However, tonight they were missing key attacker Shane Kingston (broken leg), who scored 1-9 at Pairc Ui Rinn, while the Treaty County had brought in Conor Houlihan, Mikey Mackey and Brian Ryan to strengthen their hand. They had also benefited from  a play-off victory over Waterford - so this rematch always promised to be much closer.

After some tense early exchanges, wing back Mark Coleman had the Rebels up and running from a sixth-minute free before Thomas Grimes replied and Cork kicked on with scores from Tim O'Mahony and midfielder Darragh Fitzgibbon.

Darragh Carroll's point was cancelled out by Sarsfields ace Liam Healy as Denis Ring's men led by double scores at the midway stage in the first half, 0-4 to 0-2, also having hit twice as many wides (six against three).

Blarney clubman Coleman traded scores with Casey but Sean Powter was on hand to make it double scores again with eight minutes remaining before the break, 0-6 to 0-3. Points were notched at either end before Casey closed the gap to two after 25 minutes; two further Limerick scores left it 'as you were' at the short whistle…

Coleman and Casey swapped frees upon the resumption and Healy restored the Rebel County's lead before Coleman made it 0-10 to 0-8 with a stunning score in the 36th minute. With the breeze now behind them, Limerick replied through Ryan and Casey to tie the scores up for the fourth time.

A converted free from goalkeeper Eoghan McNamara has the hosts ahead for the first time after 39 minutes. Corner back Tom Hayes averted a decent Cork goalscoring opportunity; Cork custodian Declan Dalton ('65) brought the teams level again.

The two 'keepers were coming more and more into the match, having both drilled over points, so it was apt that they should face each other at the three-quarters stage, with Coleman's latest free separating the teams: the Treaty were awarded a penalty and captain McNamara came forward to take it, only to see his shot saved by Dalton. A 48th-minute Coleman free - his sixth point - rubbed salt in the wound: 0-13 to 0-11.

Amid a tense finale, the scores dried up and there were misses at either end as the match hung precariously in the balance. Midfielder Thomas Grimes left a point between the sides when he struck four minutes from the end and - incredibly - his clubmate Casey pounced for the decisive Treaty goal on 57 minutes: 1-12 to 0-13!

Following a rapid exchange of points, Casey's free made it 1-14 to 0-14 and the Treaty were on their way to Thurles...

Limerick - E McNamara (0-1f); T Hayes, C McSweeney, J O'Grady; C Byrnes, P O'Loughlin, C Houlihan; T Grimes (0-2), D Carroll (0-2); K Hayes (0-2), S Flanagan, B Ryan (0-1); P Casey (1-6, 0-4f), M Mackey, B Murphy. Subs: W O'Meara for M Mackey, C Boylan for D Carroll, O O'Reilly for B Ryan, P Ahern for K Hayes.

Cork - D Dalton (0-1'65); S Smyth, D Griffin, C McCarthy; M Coleman (0-7, 4f), E Murphy, D Lowney; C O'Leary, D Fitzgibbon (0-1); L Healy (0-2), M O'Halloran, T O'Mahony (0-1); S Powter (0-1), C Cormack (0-1), J Looney. Subs: J Cashman for C O'Leary, R O'Flynn for M O'Halloran, B Dunne for S Powter, B Hennessy for J Looney.

Referee - P Foley.

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