Limerick Star Reveals Cork Fans Threw Glass Bottles At Team Bus In 2022

The rivalry between Limerick and Cork has grown in recent times, amplified even over the past five years as the Rebels have risen to challenge their neighbours' dominance.

A storied rivalry of old, years of indifferent performance from Limerick saw the bite between the two counties die down somewhat.

However, the passion has returned since John Kiely's Treaty side became hurling's great modern dynasty, and there have been some testy clashes in league and championship of late.

This year's Munster final saw the pair lock horns for a second year running, after Cork's dramatic win on penalties in last year's decider in Limerick.

This time around, it was Limerick who prevailed on the road, after a conclusion tinged in controversy.

The Souness-esque scenes of Darragh O'Donovan planting a Limerick flag in the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh pitch post-match summed up the needle between the teams better than anything.

The tension at full-time last weekend, though, was nothing compared to the reception handed down to the Limerick team on arrival in Cork four years ago.

Ex-Limerick star Pat Ryan (namesake of the former Cork manager) told the Indo GAA podcast that the Limerick bus was hit by glass bottles thrown from a pub before the 2022 Munster round-robin clash between the counties.

The segment in question begins around the 48:00 mark in the above video

Speaking on the Indo GAA podcast earlier this month, Limerick's Pat Ryan revealed that their team bus was pelted with bottles as it passed a pub near the stadium in Cork ahead of their Munster SHC clash in 2022.

"It's some feeling, lads, for a Munster final getting that Garda escort and everything," Ryan said.

I remember playing down in Cork two or three years ago, I think it was 2022. We were coming across the bridge, and there's a big pub, a busy pub. Every county has them, I'm not just giving it to Cork! There's a few gombeens in every county!

One or two of them fired bottles of cider off the bus, glass bottles...genuinely.

Though it was obviously an intimidation tactic from Cork fans, it may not have had the desired effect.

At the time, I thought it was unreal. I know, it shouldn't happen blah, blah...the windows didn't break or anything. There were one or two bottles fired off the bus.

If anything, it only got some fellas going. I was sitting beside some of the lads who were starting that day and, I'll tell you, it got them going. If anything, they shouldn't have thrown the bottles, because they were ready to go! I think we won that day by eight points. It only got some fellas vexed. There were some fellas trying to get out of the bus, I'll put it like that!

In fact, Limerick won by 11 that day, and went on to win the Munster championship as they did this summer.

There is a real possibility of the rivalry being rekindled in this year's All-Ireland SHC final, a tantalising prospect for any hurling fan.