Cork had to overcome a brave Limerick challenge before booking their place in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals on Saturday evening.
Conor Counihan's charges looked to have the game won with only minutes to play but a late flurry by the home side brought the game into extra-time.
The Rebels eventually ran out 0-16 to 1-11 winners at the Gaelic Grounds but they will have to improve all over the field if they are to make further progress in the championship.
At half-time there was nothing to separate the sides, 0-5 apiece, but the Munster kingpins upped their performance after the break and U21 dual star Aidan Walsh kicked the first score of the second-half.
That score was soon followed by a Daniel Goulding free from all of 43 metres as the visitors moved a couple of points ahead.
Limerick huffed and puffed after that but looked like a team awaiting the inevitable and when substitute Alan O'Connor, who had been suffering from flu earlier in the week scored a point after 65 minutes to make it 0-12 to 0-7 it seemed Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's men were down and out.
However, the impressive Ger Collins converted a free before Alan O'Connor was adjudged to have fouled Jim O'Donovan and the referee awarded a penalty which Collins coolly slotted home in the 71st minute.
Amazingly, the Shannonsiders then drew level when substitute Conor Fitzgerald equalised with virtually the last kick of the game but it was to be Cork's day as they outscored their Munster rivals by 0-4 to 0-2 in extra-time.