Limerick gather momentum with win over gritty Galway

Tom Morrissey scored 0-8, 0-5 of which came from play, for the All-Ireland champions.

Galway 0-19

Limerick 0-24

Back to the location where many Limerick players still point towards being the site where in 2018 the spark was truly ignited at the beginning of this unprecedented period of success from this current golden generation. A large band of Treaty followers made the trip to Salthill to watch John Kiely’s green giants come away with the two points on offer.

A dominant first-half performance from Limerick opened up a clear buffer between the sides and proved enough to hold off a commendable, yet fruitless, second-half comeback from Galway.

Even with the phony war nature of the National League at the present, the four-in-a-row All-Ireland chasers elected to go strong with their starting line-up, beginning the game with nine of the men that started last year’s Liam MacCarthy decider victory over Kilkenny.

In contrast, Galway’s starting XV was of the more experimental variety with a quarter of the team only having a handful of senior appearances.

Galway, who triumphed when the sides met at this stage of the competition a year previous though succumbed to three-point defeats in the last two meetings between the teams in the white heat of championship action, found themselves double scores down at the half-time break, 0-14 to 0-7.

By the eighteenth minute, marauding wing-back Kyle Hayes already had a trio of points, as did Tom Morrissey come the change of ends. While Cian Lynch – looking to be returning to his best form after injury – was heavily involved as his side enjoyed playing with the customary breeze at the seaside venue

Henry Shefflin’s side were finding it difficult to bypass the Limerick renowned defensive structure with Hayes, Dan Morrissey and Co and holding the Tribesmen’s starting attack to a meagre three points from play in the opening period.

In comparison, the Munster men’s forwards concluded the first half with eight from play as well as Hayes’ impressive treble of white flags from the stand sideline.

With a little over 20 minutes to play Limerick had surged 0-19 to 0-11 clear and looked nailed on for the comfortable victory. However, driven by Conor Cooney’s accuracy, Galway had cut the deficit back to just two late on and appeared to be carrying all the momentum.

Kyle Hayes also escaped a second yellow card when Galway were on the rise which could have been game-defining had the in-form defender been given his marching orders.

When the pressure came on though, up stepped Tom Morrissey – who assumed free-taking duties in the second half – and struck two late points (one free). And in the last act of the day, substitute Donnacha Ó Dálaigh ensured there would be no way back for the hosts as they held on to claim the victory.

Scorers for Limerick: Tom Morrissey 0-8, (3f), Micheál Houlihan 0-4 (4f), Kyle Hayes and Cian Lynch all 0-3, Peter Casey and Shane O’Brien both 0-2, Seamus Flanagan and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-1.

Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-12 (9f), Tom Monaghan 0-3, Kevin Cooney 0-2, Cianan Fahy, Seán Linnane 0-1.

Limerick

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

3. Richie English (Doon), 2. Seán Finn (Bruff), 4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

5. Ciaran Barry (Ahane), 6. Dan Morrissey (Ahane), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)

8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon), 9. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)

10. Tom Morrissey (Ahane), 11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), 12. Micheál Houlihan (Kilmallock)

13. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh).

Subs:

17. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Houlihan (45)
21. Gearóid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s) for Lynch (59)
20. Adam English (Doon) for O’Donoghue (60)
24. Donnach Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen) for Flanagan (67)

Galway

1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)

2. Jack Grealish (Gort), 6. Gearóid McInerney (Oranmore/Maree), 3. T.J. Brennan (Clarinbridge)

4. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea), 5. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh), 7. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)

8. Seán Linnane (Turloughmore), 10. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)

9. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan), 25. Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins), 11. Conor Cooney (St. Thomas’)

12. Donal O’Shea (Salthill/Knocknacarra), 14. Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields), 15. Martin McManus (Loughrea)