Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All Ireland Minor Championship Semi Final – Galway 0-23 Limerick 0-20

Galway into All-Ireland minor final

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship Semi-Final: Galway 0-23 Limerick 0-20 (AET)

Galway will play Waterford in the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship final after the young Tribesmen defeated Limerick after extra-time in an absorbing semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday. The sides finished level at the end of the first half and full-time, and neither side lead by more than a point from early on in the first half until the final few minutes of extra-time. It was 0-16 apiece at full-time, but Galway were the better side in the extra period and pulled away in the last few minutes, taking a three-point victory.

The sides were level at half-time after a lively and entertaining opening 30 minutes. Limerick started well, and hit the opening two points of the game through Cian Lynch and Dean Coleman. Lynch’s point was a superb individual effort. Galway responded well from their slow start though, and with Brian Molloy deadly from placed balls, the Tribesmen lead 0-5 to 0-3 with 14 minutes played.

A fine score from Limerick midfielder Darragh O’Donovan brought the gap back to one, and Limerick finished the half well with Ronan Lynch and Barry Nash pointing placed balls to put the Treaty County 0-7 to 0-6 ahead five minutes before half-time. Molloy, who was excellent throughout from frees, completed the first-half scoring and it was 0-8 apiece at the break.

The second half was equally tight, and the sides traded scores throughout, with neither side taking more than a one-point lead at any stage, remarkably. It was 0-11 each heading into the final quarter, but a thrilling final 15 minutes saw both sides hit 0-5 apiece to send the game into extra-time. Adrian Morrissey’s injury-time point for Galway looked like it would be enough to send them into the All-Ireland final against Waterford, but Ronan Lynch’s cool free with one of the last pucks of normal time set up the extra period.

Points from Molloy and Eamonn Brannigan edged Galway two ahead the start of extra-time, but Limerick got back level with points from Ronan Lynch and David Dempsey got Limerick back level. However, Galway took control in the second half of extra-time, and two points from Conor Whelan put them into the lead with just a few points remaining. Then, Ronan O’Meara scored what was probably the point of the game for Galway. The Portumna man was being forced out towards the endline, but he somehow managed to scoop the ball off the ground and over the bar in one movement. That score was followed by a fine score from Éanna Burke, and Galway marched on.

***

Scorers for Galway: B Molloy 0-9 (4f, 2 ’65), C Whelan 0-4, A Morrissey 0-3, B Burke 0-2, D Dolan 0-1, C Shaughnessy 0-1, E Brannigan 0-1, R O’Meara 0-1, É Burke 0-1

Scorers for Limerick: B Nash 0-6 (5f), D O’Donovan 0-3, R Lynch 0-3 (2f, 1 ’65), D Dempsey 0-3, C Lynch 0-2, D Coleman 0-1, D Kennedy 0-1, E Doyle 0-1

Galway: C Tuohy; M Ó Conghaile, D O’Donoghue, M Conneely; S Linnane, S Cooney, R Doyle; E Burke, D Dolan; C Whelan, R O’Meara, A Morrissey; B Molloy, B Burke, C Shaughnessy. Subs: J Hastings for R O’Meara (37), V Doyle for R Doyle (52), E Brannigan for D Dolan (56), R O’Meara for B Burke (70), R Bellew for M Conneely (72), D Dolan for A Morrissey (78).

Limerick: C Ryan; S Finn, R English, M Casey; A La Touche Cosgrave, R Lynch, S Flanagan; D O’Donovan, D Kennedy; C Lynch, B Nash, D Dempsey; D Coleman, T Morrissey, P Ryan. Subs: S Flanagan for T Morrissey (HT), J Porter for M Casey (46), E Doyle for D Kennedy (53), T Morrissey for P Ryan (56), J Butler for T Morrissey (68), E Doyle for D Coleman (70), S Ryan for A La Touche Cosgrave (81)

Fixture Details

18.08.2013 (Sun)

Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All Ireland Minor Championship Semi Final

Páirc an Chrócaigh 13.30

Luimneach v Gaillimh

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tiobraid Árann)

(E.T. if Necessary)

Team News

The Limerick minor hurling management team of Brian Ryan (South Liberties)(Manager) Selectors Eamonn Cregan (Claughaun) and Paul Finn (Bruff) has released their starting fifteen to face Galway in their All Ireland minor hurling championship semi final also in Croke Park at 1.30pm.

Limerick team panel is as follows – 1 Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen), 2 Sean Finn (Bruff), 3 Richard English (Doon) (Capt), 4 Michael Casey (Na Piarsaigh), 5 Andrew La Touche Cosgrave (Monaleen)6 Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), 7 Sean Flanagan (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon), 8 Darragh Donovan (Doon), 9 Darragh Kennedy (Murroe/Boher), 10 Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), 11 Barry Nash (South Liberties), 12 David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh), 13 Dean Coleman (Doon), 14 Tom Morrissey (Ahane) and 15 Pat Ryan (Doon).

Panel members 16 Eoin McNamara (Doon), 17 Jamie Porter (Monaleen), 18 Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen), 19 Jamie Bulter (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon), 20 Edward Doyle (Monaleen), 21 Seamus Flanagan (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon), 22 Stephen Ryan (Doon), 23 James Riordan (Bruff) and 24 Michael Dee (Murroe/Boher)

Galway: C Tuohy; M Ó Conghaile, D O’Donoghue, M Conneely; S Linnane, S Cooney, R Doyle; E Burke, D Dolan; C Whelan, R O’Meara, A Morrissey; B Molloy, B Burke, C Shaughnessy

Match Coverage

This game will be shown live on RTE 2.