How the game was won

3.35pm Despite their inexperience, Limerick make an assertive start, working up a richly deserved 0-3 to 0-0 lead after five minutes. They go in front when Aaron Gillane (right) is picked out by Diarmaid Byrnes, then rounds Adrian Tuohey and shoots over his shoulder into the Davin Stand side. The second point, from Kyle Hayes, demonstrates the gap in sharpness between the teams early on and for much of what will follow. Tuohey’s attempted pass is intercepted by Hayes who strikes over the bar. But Limerick, while dominant, are wasteful and already compiling wides. In the fifth minute Graeme Mulcahy gets their third score, but already they have missed

the target five times. LIMERICK 0-3 GA LWAY 0-0 3.44pm Galway draw level, ten points evenly shared, and look to have settled without hitting anything near top gear. The levelling score comes from Joe Canning, a 48m free just inside the sideline, after Galway’s best forward in an ailing attack, Joseph Cooney, is fouled by Richie English. Canning gets Galway off the mark in the seventh minute, spearing the posts from a ‘65 won by Jonathan Glynn. The towering full-forward is well policed by Mike Casey. David Burke and Pádraic Mannion hit good scores, Cian Lynch replying for Limerick after riding a number of hefty challenges. Darragh O’Donovan also nails a score after good work by Seamus Flanagan. Glynn is starved of possession and his attacking colleagues are making little impact. LIMERICK 0-5 GA LWAY 0-5

3.46pm

Limerick’s first goal, scored by the wily Mulcahy (above), a veteran in his 10th season, but with some compliance on Galway’s part notably when James Skehill fails to deal with the rolling ball, leaving it to run under his body and enabling the Kilmallock man to nip in and scramble the ball home. A minute earlier Galway go in front through Canning after Gearoid McInerney makes a trademark catch. Before the goal Galway have started to find some rhythm, but not for the first time poor defending knocks them off their stride. Immediately after LIMERICK 1-5 GA LWAY 0-6 3.57

LIMERICK 1-8 GA LWAY 0-6 In 11 minutes after the goal, Limerick open a five-point lead and are back in command. Tom Morrissey finds copious room to fire over a point from a tight angle, but they are still missing chances that could put them out of sight. Their captain Declan Hannon scores an inspirational point when intercepting a pass intended for Canning. Conor Cooney, having another poor afternoon, hits his third wide. Gearoid Hegarty hits Limerick’s 10th. Another score from Hannon, breaking away from Canning, leaves Limerick in a healthy position. 4.09

Limerick full-back Casey needs treatment, and Galway’s wides tally is mount ing. By half-time they are on ten to Limerick’s 11. Glynn, having little joy on Casey, moves to wing forward, winning a puck out and setting up a score for David Burke (below). Canning’s free and Galway’s third in a row from Joseph Cooney leaves only two in it, but Limerick hit the last two scores of the half, Gillane from a free and a good closing point from Flanagan,after darting past John Hanbury. HA LF TIME: LIMERICK 1-10 GA LWAY 0-9 4.30PM In the opening ten minutes of the second half Limerick outscore Galway 0-5 to 0-1, with Hayes blossoming, hitting three points. Limerick also have scores from Byrnes and Gillane, a free, while Galway’s sole reply is a tidy finish by Joseph Cooney from an acute

angle. Byrnes’ point sums up Galway’s frustrations, coming from a loose clearance by Conor Cooney, back helping out his defence. Limerick lead by eight, a famous victory already starting to look theirs. Casey finally surrenders to injury, replaced by Richie McCarthy. LIMERICK 1-15 GA LWAY 0-10 4.39 Gearoid McInerney, short on match fitness, is robbed by Tom Morrissey who races in for Limerick’s second goal with 19 minutes of the second half played. Another devastating

blow to Galway who had reduced the lead to six points with scores from play by Canning. Limerick looking well on their way to ending that 45-year famine. LIMERICK 2-15 GA LWAY 0-12 4.51 Galway reduce the deficit to five points and start to believe a full rescue is possible with 66 minutes played and momentum behind them. Shane Dowling comes on and Flanagan has a goal chance to seal it, which leaves Skehill injured in making the save. Fearghal Flannery replaces him in goal. Two points from Canning and one from David Burke leaves Galway with time to save it. LIMERICK 2-15 GA LWAY 0-16 4.56 A goal from Dowling, after sub Peter Casey thieves the ball from Tuohey, looks to have won it for Limerick, leaving them eight points

to the good with three minutes of normal time left. But in the first minute of injury time Conor Whelan, subdued until then, catches and buries an excellent goal. Eight minutes of stoppage time announced. There’s still time. LIMERICK 3-15 GA LWAY 1-16 5.00 A stunning 74th-minute goal from a 20m free by Canning to take his tally to 1-10 for the day and sets up a grandstand finish, with Niall Burke’s point two minutes later leaving Galway, incredibly, one point adrift. Mulcahy calms Limerick with their last score but in the final seconds in one last attack a high ball into the Limerick goal is fetched by sub Tom Condon and the whistle sounds as he breaks clear. The celebrations can begin. FULL-TIME: LIMERICK 3-16 GA LWAY 2-18 Dermot Crowe