McGrath Cup Semi-finals/ Cork 1-10 Limerick 0-8: A 43rd-minute goal from Séamus O'Sullivan was the defining moment at Kilmallock yesterday.

Michael Reidy was first to find the target for the home side, but Cork soon assumed control and points from Brendan O'Sullivan, Kevin O'Sullivan and Con McCarthy had them 0-7 to 0-3 to the good at the interval.

Michael Crowley soon narrowed the gap, but O'Sullivan's goal left them with a mountain to climb, at 1-8 to 0-4.

Points from Crowley, Andrew Lane and Michael Reidy provided a mini scare for the visitors, but Kevin O'Sullivan consolidated their position with two frees.

In the other semi-final, Kerry recorded a facile, 2-15 to 0-7 win over UCC at Killarney - in a game that marked Colm Cooper's first outing for Kerry this season.

CORK: A Quirke; M Prout, G Canty, D Duggan; O Sexton, G Spillane, S Elweiss; N Murphy, D Hurley; S O'Sullivan (1-0), C McCarthy (0-1), A Lynch; P Clifford, B O'Sullivan (0-2), K O'Sullivan (0-6). Sub: P O'Mahony (0-1) for Clifford.

LIMERICK: S Kiely; G Gallagher, T McLoughlin, J McCarthy; A Lane (0-1), D Reidy, S Lavin (0-1); J Galvin (0-1), T Carroll; P Ahern, M Crowley (0-2), S Buckley; G Ahern, J Murphy, M Reidy (0-3). Subs: O Ryan for G Ahern, G Ahern for Ryan (inj), G Noonan for Carroll.

Referee: D Hickey (Clare).

KERRY: K Cremin; M Ó Sé, M McCarthy, P Reidy; B Guiney, E Fitzmaurice (0-1), M Lyons; D Ó Sé, K Donaghy (0-2); Declan O'Sullivan, E Brosnan (0-5), P Kelly; Darren O'Sullivan (1-1), A O'Connor, MF Russell (1-2, 0-1 from 45). Subs: C Cooper (0-2) for D Ó Sé, T Ó Sé for Lyons, T O'Sullivan for Reidy, K O'Leary (0-1) for O'Connor, P O'Connor (0-1) for Russell.

UCC: R White; N Horgan, M Shiels, C Connery; R McCarthy, J Wycherley, D Limerick; F Gould (0-2), D Walsh; R Long, J Hayes (0-2 frees), P O'Connor (0-1); R Hussey, L Ó Lonáin (0-1), B Mulvihill. Subs: C Brosnan (0-1) for Mulvihill, M O'Donoghue for Long, D O'Donovan for Horgan, M Cussen for Hayes.

Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).