Limerick Edge Galway in Titanic Struggle At Croke Park

Limerick were put the the pin of their collars to get past a superb Galway side in an epic All Ireland semi final on a scoreline of 0-27 to 0-24.

Joe Canning opened proceeding with a superb sideline cut to give Galway an early lead.

A foul on Brian Colcannon allowed Canning to make it 0-02 to 0-00 on 3 minutes. Galway had settled well and coped with Limerick’s initial attacks manfully.

Galway’s full forward line were switched on in the opening five minutes with Canning notching another free to make it 0-3 to 0-0, a slow start from Limerick but nobody reaching for panic buttons just yet.

Flanagan opening Limerick account on 9 minutes with a well take point from play. Cathal Mannion responded with a well taken point from under the hogan stand.

Tom Morrisey chipped in with Limerick’s second point before Conor Whelan made it 0-5 to 0-2 after 11 minutes. Galway were on top with a savage work rate while Limerick’s touch looked a bit off.

A Joe Canning free over and a Concannon point from play made it 7-2 to Galway. Seamus Flanagan and Gearoid Hegarty then popped up with points to make it a three point game after 16 minutes heading into the water break.

Concannon makes it 0-8 to 0-4 with Galway’s first point after the water break. A Gillane free cuts the gap to 3 points again before a long range point from Hegarty cuts it to just 2 on 21 minutes.

Limerick’s best run of form saw Diarmaid Byrnes make it a one point game with a low drive straight between the Galway posts. Hegarty levelled it from the sideline with this savage score.

Cathal Mannion going off just as Diarmaid Byrnes landed another long range score from play. Canning misses his first free moments later.

Momentum then swung back in Galway’s direction with Concannon capitalising on a mix up in defence to level proceedings before Canning landed a free to put Galway back in front.

The lead was short lived Gillane landed a score from out on the left wing to put Kiely’s charges back in front.

Two minutes late and Gilane drove over a free to make it Limerick 0-11 Galway 0-10 after 30 minutes.

Hegarty make it 12-10 with another inspirational score. Tom Morrissey lobbed over a fine point when it looked like being a half goal chance for Seamus Flanagan. 0-13 to 0-10.

Canning’s sideline cut makes it a two point game on 33 mins. Flanagan was causing trouble and was brought down for Gillane to notch the free. 0-14 to 0-11 Limerick with a three point lead.

Declan Hannon with the score of the game following some tidy interplay and a sublime layoff from Tom Morrissey.

Adrian Tuohy with a super score under pressure followed by a third sideline cut from Joe Canning in the fifth of four additional minutes to make it Galway 0-13 Limerick 0-15 at the break.

Joseph Cooney first point from Galway after the break was quickly cancelled out by an Aaron Gillane free. Seamus Flanagan made it a three point game.

Peter Casey was in for Mulcahy as Kiely looked to add fresh legs to the inside forward line. Canning made it 4 sideline cuts on 40 mins. The lead back to just two points.

Gillane made it a one goal lead again on 45 minutes. Limerick were making Galway work really hard especially on puck outs but the Tribesmen were battling hard and refusing to go away. Another Canning free making it a two point game.

Quick fire points from Peter Casey (2) & Cian Lynch make it Limerick 0-21 Galway 0-16 and represented the biggest amount of daylight Kiely’s side had managed to create since the throw in.

Conor Whelan and Cian Lynch exchanged points before Canning added three frees in a row for Galway and it was back to a 2 point game. David Reidy had a guilt edged opportunity after Lynch’s point to put Limerick in control but a superb save from Murphy denied him.

Joe Canning departed the game in the 68th minute on a stretcher after a nasty collision with one of his teammates but Evan Niland made its a one point game with a free before Conor Whelan levelled it on 69 minutes.

Diarmaid Byrnes settled jangling Limerick nerves with a long range free but Galway were still the team with momentum. A poor wide from Tom Morrissey a sign of the pressure Galway were exerting and of what was at stake.

Evan Niland made it 23 apiece before Tom Morrissey attuned for that earlier miss with a point from an acute angle. Adrian Breen made it a tow point game a minute later following a clean catch from Peter Casey.

Another sideline cut from a Galway player, this time Fintan Burke reduced it to one. Up stepped Tom Morrissey yet again to extend the lead to two. It was the last score of an epic encounter as Limerick did just about enough to get the win.