While the outcome at TUS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night was not the one Cork wanted, manager Ben O’Connor felt that the defeat to Limerick will serve as a learning experience.
A Rebels side featuring just seven of the starters from the Munster SHC final win over the same opposition at the same venue last June managed to stick with their opponents for three quarters of the game before Limerick went into overdrive but O’Connor could still take solace from the display.
“Ah, disappointed with the result,” he said.
“We were well in it until the middle of the second half, they got on top of us then but we fought back well again in the last ten minutes.
“Delighted with the performance, disappointed with the result.”