Whatever the grumbles about the entire Munster hurling championship being located in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Limerick won't be at the top of the queue complaining. The county has now won its last five championship matches at the venue and can look forward to another in three weeks.

Eamonn Cregan was unenthusiastic about playing Cork in their own back yard two weeks ago but his Limerick team survived. Now he can see it was all for the best.

"At the end of the day I think the match we had against Cork stood to us in the last 15 minutes. Even though they came down and hit the crossbar with a (Paul Flynn) free that went over. It actually dipped as it came in. If that was a goal, we'd have been only one up."

Relief was running happiness close in the aftermath of an electric game. Eleven points down after 16 minutes, the team's combination of old dogs and young hounds steadied, recovered and eventually got the upper hand.

"There's tremendous credit due to the panel. There's times when we didn't play well but young people have tremendous confidence. I was there thinking `Oh God, no, here we go again'. But they have spoken about the Cork match, about being a flash in the pan and they had to deliver today and that's what they did.

"There would have been many turning points. The fact that our halfback line began to dominate the second half and Dan Shanahan didn't catch as much ball. James Moran was off with a suspected broken thumb. He couldn't hold the hurley and he was crying because he had to go off and saying he was sorry. But Jack Foley came in and we put him on Tony Browne and he did his job and scored two points as well."

Consolidation was one thing, taking the initiative another. In a nervy final quarter, Limerick were beginning to run out of patience.

"I just didn't know how the lads would react," says Cregan. "They reacted very positively. I went out with 15 minutes left and said `lads would ye please put the ball over the bloody bar and stop going for goals'. They were going for goals, goals, goals. Eventually they started taking their points and the goals came."

A Munster final against Tipperary and the comfort of reverting to underdog status awaits the team but as important is the guarantee of hurling until August.

"We're now in All-Ireland quarterfinals at least and I'm delighted for the players. I'm delighted in particular for Ciaran Carey who came through a traumatic 12 months and you saw him in the second half, how he kept going. His experience was also vital. When he got the ball he ran with and held it. Great match. We're happy."

Where to now for Limerick?

"We're on a journey," he says with the promise of something profound giving way to something more offbeat, "out to the Newcastlewest golf club tomorrow. Anyone who wants it anywhere tomorrow should have free golf."

Cregan's former charges Offaly now have plenty of time for golf as the All-Ireland finalists fell heavily yet again to champions Kilkenny. Two goals before half-time from Henry Shefflin and Eddie Brennan virtually settled the match. Man of the match Charlie Carter rattled over six points in the big win. They will face Wexford in the Leinster final.

Surprise of the day was in football with Fermanagh going down to Monaghan. It means John Maughan's team will have to face Donegal for a third time this championship in next week's qualifier.

League winners Mayo had a tight win over Sligo.