Report | Red card takes its toll as Limerick fall to League defeat against Galway

Limerick fell to a second successive Legaue defeat at the hands of Galway in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick were reduced to 14 minutes, eary in the second half as Geaoird Hegarty received his marching orders after a melee.

Galway’s numerical advantage took it’s toll late on as they found seven consecutive scores down the stretch to earn the 1-18 to 0-27 win.

Aaron Gillane got Limerick off to the perfect start, finding the back of the net within three minutes, collecting a long range Kyle Hayes delivery on the 13, before rifling past Eanna Murphy.

Cathal O’Neill had Limerick four clear a minute later but Galway drew level with four on the bounce before Conor Cooney had them one clear with a quarter of an hour played.

Gillane levelled from a free, with the sides deadlocked at four separate occasions in the opening half.

Fintan Burke had Galway briefly in front after 24 minutes but O’Neill and Ronan Connolly replied for Limerick who were two clear at the half, 1-9 to 0-10.

The second half began in dramatic fashion as Gearoid Hegarty saw red for an incident that involved the majority of the players in a melee on the sideline.

Gillane scored immediately after Hegarty’s dismissal but the visitors had five of the next six scores to move 0-15 to 1-11 clear after 45 minutes.

Barry Nash had the leveller for Limerick with a long range effort. Cooney replied with a free.

But successive scores for Cathal O’Neill, his fourth and Seamus Flanagan gave Limerick their first lead in ten minutes after 54. Cathal Mannion had the response for Galway but Flanagan was on hand to restore the lead.

The sides moved level for the tenth time with as many minutes to play as Gillane and Cooney traded frees at 1-18 to 0-21.

A quickfire brace from Cooney had Galway’s first two point lead of the half. Fintan Burke added to that with his fourth of the day.

Joseph Cooney moved the Tribesmen five clear heading into additional time. Joseph Cooney added their seventh in a row in added time.