It all comes down to this.

Limerick haven’t lifted Liam MacCarthy since 2023 which, by their supremely high standards, amounts to a famine. But they’re back in HQ this afternoon, bidding to reclaim the throne and with it, a remarkable sixth All-Ireland title in nine years.

For Galway, this represents an entirely different prospect: a chance to win what would only be the county’s second All-Ireland title since the glorious double of 1987/88, and with it, an opportunity to avenge their defeat to Limerick in the 2018 decider.

It is another glorious day in Dublin, and this promises to be unmissable. Throw-in is at 3.30pm.

TEAM NEWS: Galway are unchanged from their emphatic semi-final win against Cork.

Galway

1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)

2. Joshua Ryan (Clarinbridge), 3. Cillian Trayers (Turloughmore), 4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields – captain)

5. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 6. Daithí Burke (Turloughmore), 7. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh)

8. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea), 9. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge)

10. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell), 11. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh Fohenagh), 12. Darragh Neary (Castlegar),

13. Jason Rabbitte (Athenry), 14. Conor Whelan (Kinvara), 15. Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge)

TEAM NEWS: Meanwhile, there are two changes to the Limerick side which accounted for Clare in the semis – and they’re two big ones: Mike Casey and Cian Lynch both start for the Treaty.

Limerick

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

2. Seán Finn (Bruff), 3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), 4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)

8. Adam English (Doon), 9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell) 

10. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s), 11. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 12. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister)

13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), 14. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)

Some super shots from INPHO photographer Dan Sheridan as the fans make their way to a sold-out Croke Park

Galway fan Maeve Connolly and Limerick fan Sophie Mann. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Bridie and John Sheridan

Ava O’Donohoe, Grace Hennessy, Aimee Mulcahy and Rosa Kelly.

Limerick fan Liam Óg O'Connor.

Galway fan Jack Burn.

Galway and Limerick fans meet outside Croke Park.

A gem from Shane Dowling on RTÉ’s pre-match coverage, reminiscent of an iconic Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh line of old:

“Mike [Casey], since he was 10 years of age, is known as ‘The Bear’. You’ve a bear marking a Rabbitte at the edge of the square.

If you’re whiling away the final few minutes before throw-in – either nervously or neutrally – might I recommend this brilliant piece by Declan Bogue with former Limerick and Offaly manager Éamonn Cregan:

THESE DAYS TAKE on their own rhythms for Éamonn Cregan. He’s crammed in as much hurling as any life could fit, or any marriage could sustain he reckons, crediting his wife Anne as the unsung hero in all his sporting days.

They don’t go out into the midday heat. His low-grade addiction to golf has eased off to the point where he might squeeze in a few holes late on. But at half three every day, all his children living close by in Castletroy descend upon the homeplace for ‘Coffee Time’.

He remembers the heatwave of 1976, but this? This is unnatural.

“I am one of these people, I don’t like extremes of anything. I am boring and middle of the road,” he chuckles.

That claim might be under dispute.

A man who hurls with his club Claughaun until he is 43, a man who played county for 18 seasons, a man who had a couple of spells of managing his own county, who was Limerick U21 manager at the same time as coach of the Clare seniors?

The man who led that travelling ‘second day of the wedding’ party of Offaly hurlers to the 1994 All-Ireland, against his own? The man who even at the age of 71 was leading the previously Mary Immaculate College to a Fitzgibbon Cup?

There’s nothing moderate about a man like that.

The markets make Limerick reasonably strong four-point favourites ahead of throw-in, and when we asked you to call it in our poll this morning, Limerick shaded that one too, picked by 56% of you to win.

THROW IN: The teams have met President Connolly, we’ve had the pre-match parade, and Amhrán na bhFiann – and here we go!

Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

1 min – There’s a decent breeze coming from the Hill 16 end, and Limerick are playing against it in the first half.

2 mins — Galway 0-1 Limerick 0-0: Aaron Niland opens his account for the day with a simple free into the Davin End.

2 mins — Galway 0-1 Limerick 0-0: Gavin Lee has a go from wide on the left and it’s waved wide for Galway’s first of the day.

3 mins — Galway 0-1 Limerick 0-1: Aaron Gillane gets out in front, turns, and fires one over into the Hill 16 end. All square early doors.

4 mins — SAVE! Darach Fahy is here to play today – it’s a brilliant save to deny Gearoid Hegarty. Cian Lynch played the ball inside to pick out Hegarty, Darragh Neary couldn’t get close, and Fahy did superbly to dive up to his left to push Hegarty’s shot past the post.

A superb save from Galway keeper Darach Fahy denies what looked like a certain goal for Gearoid Heagarty.

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

5 mins — Limerick 0-2 Galway 0-1: Diarmaid Byrnes converts the 65 to put Limerick into the lead.

6 mins – Another chance for Gearoid Hegarty, and another stop from Darach Fahy. It’s nowhere near as spectacular, but they count all the same. Hegarty had three Galway defenders hassling him as he bore down on goal, and shot with the boot, but Fahy made the stop with an outstretched leg.

7 mins — Limerick 0-2 Galway 0-2: Jason Rabbitte is giving Mike Casey a bit of a headache in these opening few minutes, and draws another free from his marker. Niland points and Galway are back on terms. 

9 mins – Monstrous free from Cathal Mannion outside his own 65. With the breeze at his back, it has the distance, but drops just wide – Galway’s third so far.

9 mins – Peter Casey has Limerick’s first wide of the day, confirmed by HawkEye.

12 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-3: Aaron Niland points a free after Mike Casey comes through the back of Jason Rabbitte. Casey receives a yellow for his troubles, and John Kiely responds by swapping Sean Finn onto Galway’s teen star. Down the other end, Adam English gets Limerick level.

14 mins – Yellow cards apiece for Padraic Mannion and Adam English after a bit of scuffle on the ground out underneath the Hogan Stand.

15 mins — Limerick 0-4 Galway 0-3: Diarmaid Byrnes arrows a free through the breeze into the Hill 16 end to restore Limerick’s lead.

17 mins — Limerick 0-6 Galway 0-3: Great work by Hegarty who forces Ronan Glennon to overcarry, and Byrnes is unerring with the free. Galway’s puckout is starting to creak here, and after Limerick force the turnover, Aidan O’Connor stretches their margin out to three.

18 mins — Limerick 0-6 Galway 0-4: Mike Casey has been switched on to Aaron Niland now, and it’s not exactly an easier assignment; Niland scores his first from play.

20 mins – Fahy gets his short puckout away to Tiernan Killeen, who bombs it in on top of Conor Whelan. There’s a half-chance, but Barry Nash is scrambling back to cover and bundles it behind for a Galway 65.

22 mins — Limerick 0-7 Galway 0-5: Niland converts the 65, but from the puckout, Gearoid Hegarty bats the ball out of the sky, and Cathal O’Neill scoops it up to score.

23 mins – Niland tries his luck with a long-range free from a step or two outside his own 65, but it drops safely into Nickie Quaid’s hand.

25 mins – Great piece of refereeing by Colm Lyons, who spots a late pull by Kyle Hayes after the ball was played in to the Galway full-forwards. No advantage accrues – Barry Nash gets out in front of Jason Rabbitte – and Lyons brings play back for a free and a yellow card.

Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

27 mins — Limerick 0-8 Galway 0-6: Limerick are swarming the ball at every opportunity and this time, it’s Tom Monaghan turned over. Limerick get it into Gillane, and he gets a yard or two of space to fire over.

29 mins – Cian Lynch and Gearoid Hegarty combine again, but there’s a great block from Cillian Trayers to snuff out the danger.

30 mins — Limerick 0-9 Galway 0-7: Two magnificent scores at either end: first from Adam English, who plucks the ball out of the air with his hurl and splits the posts; then from Jason Rabbitte, who skips away from Sean Finn and fires over a great score from a tricky angle out on the right.

Galway trail by two points to Limerick, but some more superb scores by Jason Rabitte may keep the Tribesmen in it.

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

30 mins — Limerick 0-10 Galway 0-7: Peter Casey pushes Limerick three ahead again.

32 mins — Limerick 0-10 Galway 0-8: Aaron Niland’s accuracy with the dead-ball is keeping Galway within touching distance. That’s six frees and one from play for Niland now.

34 mins — Limerick 0-11 Galway 0-8: Space opens up in midfield for Cian Lynch, and the two-time Hurler of the Year strides into it and points. You don’t need to ask him twice.

35 mins — Limerick 0-12 Galway 0-8: Gearoid Hegarty gets up ahead of Ronan Glennon, and when the pair come down, Glennon has a handful of the Limerick man’s jersey. Aidan O’Connor converts the free.

35 mins – Two additional minutes to be played at the end of the half.

35+2 mins – Limerick 0-13 Galway 0-8: Shane O’Brien turns back inside Padraic Mannion, but his shot hits the post. It drops to Gillane and he makes sure of the score at the second time of asking.

37+3 mins: Darragh Neary catches Cian Lynch square on the faceguard with a careless one. There’s a brief stoppage for Lynch to receive treatment, and Neary picks up a yellow card.

HALF TIME: Limerick 0-13 Galway 0-8

Galway's Gavin Lee with Adam English and Gearoid Hegarty of Limerick. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

SECOND HALF: We’re back underway. The scoreboard might not fully show it, but it feels like Galway – playing against the wind now – are just hanging in there. They’ll need a big third quarter here.

37 mins — Limerick 0-13 Galway 0-9: Aaron Niland points a free for the opening score of the half. His scores have been carrying Galway in a major way.

39 mins — Limerick 0-15 Galway 0-9: Cathal O’Neill and Kyle Hayes point in quick succession and the margin is now six.

41 mins — Limerick 0-17 Galway 0-10: Barry Nash and Aidan O’Connor with a point apiece; Limerick are in danger of getting out of sight here, but Tom Monaghan gets one back from Galway.

GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 1-18 Galway 0-10 (O’Neill, 43′)

Limerick are out to finish this one off! Peter Casey points, and on the next play, Cathal O’Neill shakes off the Galway attention and drives his shot low into the bottom right corner, beyond Darach Fahy. It’s a long way back for Galway from here.

Two passes and a goal. The high behind view of Cathal O'Neill's goal shows how quickly Limerick turn defence into attack

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

45 mins — Limerick 1-19 Galway 0-11: Peter Casey adds another before, at the other end, it’s the familiar sight of Aaron Niland pointing. 

It’s been Limerick 1-6 to Galway 0-3 since the restart.

48 mins — Limerick 1-19 Galway 0-12: Another Galway free, another point for – yep, you guessed it – Aaron Niland.

49 mins – Chance for Darragh Neary who gets a desperately-needed sight on goal, but he blasts it wide.

51 mins — Limerick 1-19 Galway 0-14: Quick Galway double from Tom Monaghan and Cathal Mannion. They’re back within eight, but for how long?

52 mins — Limerick 1-20 Galway 0-14: Not long; Cathal O’Neill takes his individual tally to 1-3 for the day.

53 mins — Limerick 1-21 Galway 0-14: Another one for Peter Casey, who seems very happy to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

54 mins – Limerick won’t give Galway a sniff. Super work from Will O’Donoghue who threw himself into a block with Tiernan Killeen just as he looked to pull the trigger.

57 mins — RED CARD! Ronan Glennon is shown a straight red; he caught Peter Casey with a shoulder to the chin, and Colm Lyons gives him his marching orders.

Things go from bad to worse for Galway; Ronan Glennon sees red after hitting Mike Casey with a head-high challenge.

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

58 mins — Limerick 1-22 Galway 0-14: Aidan O’Connor points the resulting free and this one is all over bar the shouting. In truth, Limerick have been completely dominant since the early exchanges.

59 mins — Limerick 1-22 Galway 0-15: Darragh Neary takes off with Diarmaid Byrnes and Will O’Donoghue in hot pursuit, but he does well to fend them off and take his point.

61 mins — Limerick 1-23 Galway 0-15: Padraic Mannion grabs a hold of Gearoid Hegarty, Colm Lyons spots the foul, and Aidan O’Connor points the free.

61 mins — Limerick 1-24 Galway 0-15: Kyle Hayes quickly follows it up with another. This is ruthless from Limerick, who aren’t relenting in the slightest. Galway are entirely out of answers.

63 mins — Limerick 1-25 Galway 0-15: Little bit of showmanship from Aaron Gillane, who is like a matador as he juggles the ball on the bás of his hurl while Cillian Trayers tries in vain to close the gap. Gillane creates the space he needs and points; super stuff.

Aaron Gillane is just toying with Galway. His fourth point is the pick of the bunch, bouncing it on his hurley before turning and putting over a towering point.

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

65 mins — Limerick 1-25 Galway 0-16: Conor Cooney knocks over a free, but it all feels very academic at this point.

66 mins — Limerick 1-25 Galway 0-17: Galway sub Colm Molloy scores. Eleven between the sides as the clock ticks towards 70 and a remarkable sixth All-Ireland title for Limerick in the last nine years.

68 mins — Limerick 1-26 Galway 0-17: Diarmaid Byrnes has his fourth of the day.

70 mins – There’ll be five additional minutes here before the Limerick party can start and Galway are put out of their misery.

70+1 mins — Limerick 1-27 Galway 0-17: Cathal O’Neill ices the cake.

70+2 mins — Limerick 1-28 Galway 0-17: Cian Lynch says, ‘Do you know what this cake needs? More icing!’

Super score from midfield.

70+4 mins — Limerick 1-29 Galway 0-18: Conor Cooney points, but David Reidy takes the pass from Gearoid Hegarty and cancels it out straight away.

PENALTY FOR GALWAY

Chance for a late Galway consolation score here as Will O’Donoghue and Nickie Quaid combine to bring down Joshua Ryan.

GOAL FOR GALWAY! Limerick 1-19 Galway 1-18 (Cooney, 70+6′)

A bullet from Conor Cooney. No stopping it.

It's nothing more than a consolation goal for Connor Cooney as he buries the last-minute penalty for Galway.

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— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 19, 2026

FULL TIME: Limerick 1-29 Galway 1-18

LIMERICK ARE THE ALL-IRELAND HURLING CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN!

Absolutely ruthless from John Kiely’s side, and another chapter added to this astonishing Limerick era.

“Today, Limerick are back,” says Uachtarán Jarlath Burns as he prepares to present Liam MacCarthy to Cian Lynch.

You can say that again.

Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

As Cian Lynch continues his winning speech, it’s time for us to bow out, but stay with us across the evening for lots more reaction and analysis from Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue in Croke Park.

Thanks for reading, agus comhghairdeas Luimneach!