Limerick… 0-27
Galway… 1-21
Inches. That’s often all the separates glory from gloom. If the break for you, it’ll be the former scenario. The ball breaking one inch the wrong way and your dreams are dashed. Finite margins.
Early on, Conor Cooney fails to rise a 25 metre free, wasted. HawkEye takes a point apiece off Ronan Glennon and Conor Whelan. Later, Whelan picks the ball out a ruck, but clean off the ground.
After bedlam on the sideline, Limerick are correctly awarded the free. Diarmaid Byrnes duly points it from inside his own half. Inches. Galway’s Cathal Mannion sitting stupidly retreated in the early stages. Thus, leaving ample space for their opponents to run into. And there’s no better team anywhere to exploit space to their advantage than the reigning kingpins.
Hence how Byrnes, Will O’Donoghue, Seamus Flanagan, Kyle Hayes and Aaron Gillane were able to rain points over Eanna Murphy’s crossbar. The latter literally around corners. To their credit, though, Galway dug in manfully and with Mannion, Glennon, the outstanding Tom Monaghan and Cooney all driving over mighty scores, the Tribesmen had rebounded back to within four points of their highly vaunted opponents, 0-12 to 0-16.
When the challengers hit four of the first half dozen points after the resumption, it become obvious that the title holders were in for a very stern examination of their credentials. I may have been alone in the following, but, for a brief period, there was a pondering as to whether the exertions of being on the road would eventually send the fuel light flashing red.
It didn’t get that bad, but the air filters were definitely clogged for some time. Against that, however, it was at that time John Kiely’s side showed their metal and just why they will be so difficult to dislodge. Though the maroon and white had a right good go at it. In recent weeks here, teams have been praised for playing long, direct ball. That was mostly in the bigger ball code but it can be applied to the stickmen too.
As best evidenced when Brian Concannon got a half yard of space in behind Mike Casey, grabbed a superb long ball from David Burke and blasted past Nickie Quaid. Unfortunately for Galway, though, every time it appeared the pendulum was about to swing their way, the men from Shannonside were able to go upfield, pick off points and just keep their valiant challengers at bay.
Much was made of the strength of the Limerick bench and the impact it could have on the eventual outcome. And so it was. Just not in the guise of Conor Boylan, Peter Casey or Cian Lynch to the extent that may have been expected. Yesterday, as is often the case, it was a slightly unsung hero – the Limerick version of David Reidy – who stood up to the plate and, in the end, it was his three point salvo which saw the Treaty men home and onto the final hurdle in their quest for a hat-trick of titles.
At the time of typing, the bookies have installed the defending champions as 4/9 favourites with Cody’s Cats at 9/4. While I can understand the JP McManus-backed lads being favourites, the numbers chalked up in the other corner look decidedly generous. Especially as Galway exposed areas where they can be got at. You can be sure John Kiely noticed them too. A lot done, more to do.
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