They made hard work of it in the end, but Limerick defeated Galway with just two points to spare - 2-27 to 0-31 - after a game of two halves at TUS Gaelic Grounds to book their place in this year's Allianz Hurling League Division 1A final where they will face Munster rivals Cork.
Essentially a league semi-final in all but name, John Kiely’s men have now won five on the trot after their opening-day defeat away to Waterford on 1 February.
Both of Limerick's goals came in either half with the impressive Cathal O'Neill finding the net in the 26th minute before Aaron Gillane raised the green flag two minutes from time.
Galway, who face Kilkenny in Pearse Stadium in the opening round of the Leinster Championship in four weeks', nearly turned a 10-point half-time deficit on its head but a late Aaron Gillane goal ensured Limerick held on for victory in front of a crowd of 14,108.
After a slow start the hosts, who made one change to the side that overcame Cork two weeks’ previously with Darragh Langan replacing Mike Casey at full back, got on top in nearly all positions and led by 1-16 to 0-09 at the end of the opening half with Cathal O’Neill impressing with 1-04.
A much-improved second-half performance from Galway, however, saw the visitors outscore Limerick by 0-22 to 1-11 in the final 35 minutes to ensure a nervy finish to the game for the eventual winners.
Galway made three changes to the free-scoring starting 15 that made easy pickings of Kilkenny in Salthill on 7 March as Cianan Fahy, TJ Brennan, and Jason Rabbitte came in for Kieran Hanrahan, Darragh Neary, and Rory Burke.
Micheál Donoghue’s men, who were in search of their first Division 1 final appearance since 2017, started like a train, scoring four without reply inside the opening five minutes with Jason Rabbitte, Cathal Mannion, Aaron Niland and Thomas Monaghan raising the white flag for the Tribesmen.
Limerick, however, had other ideas and after David Reidy stopped the rot with five minutes on the clock, the Treaty men scored eight of the next 10 points to open up a three-point lead before O’Neill’s goal 10 minutes before the break.
O’Neill, already putting in a man of the match performance for Limerick, took full advantage of a misplaced pass from Cianan Fahy before the Crecora-Manister sharpshooter gave Darach Fahy no chance in the Galway goal.
After Aaron Niland scored his second and third of eight frees moments later, Limerick added six more before half time to ease into a 10-point lead at the break.
Both sides exchanged points early on in the second half but a purple patch for Galway saw O'Donoghue's charges outscored Limerick by 0-10 to just three points during the 15-minute period from the 45th minute until the 60th minute to bring it back to a three-point with 10 minutes remaining on the clock.
This period of dominance saw Galway score four without response with Brian Concannon, Jason Rabbitte, Ronan Glennon, Darragh Neary as the Tribesmen scored eight of the last nine points heading in the final stretch.
O’Neill, now bringing his tally up to 1-05, put an end to Galway’s period of dominance before Gillane, the first to react to Adam English’s high shot hitting the post, raised the game’s second green flag with a swopping close-range effort in the 68th minute.
Limerick led by five at this stage, but points from Neary, Molloy and Niland (two frees), either side of a Gillane point, ensured a nervy finish for the hosts.
In the dying seconds, Galway were awarded a close-range free with just two between the sides. Up stepped Cathal Mannion, only to be denied by William O’Donoghue on the line. Brian Concannon could have won it from Galway his follow up was cleared and Limerick survived another day.
Eleven players hit the target for Galway, while Limerick finished with eight different scorers.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Darragh Langan, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, William O'Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Adam English (0-04), Cian Lynch (capt.); Gearoid Hegarty (0-03), Aidan O'Connor (0-05, 0-03fs), Cathal O'Neill (1-06); Aaron Gillane (1-04), Shane O'Brien, David Reidy (0-02)
Subs: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (0-02) for O’Brien (half time), Ethan Hurley (0-01) for Lynch (temp 40 minutes – 43 minutes), Hugh Flanagan for Hegarty (56), Mike Casey for Nash (62), Paddy O’Donovan for O’Connor (65), Colin Coughlan for Byrnes (69)
Galway: Darach Fahy; Joshua Ryan, Cillian Trayers, Darren Morrissey (capt.); Ronan Glennon (0-01), Padraic Mannion (0-01), Cianan Fahy; TJ Brennan, Cian Daniels; Thomas Monaghan (0-02), Cathal Mannion (0-04), Tiernan Killeen (0-01); Conor Whelan (0-02), Jason Rabbitte (0-04), Aaron Niland (0-10, 0-08fs).
Subs: Shane Morgan for Morrissey, Darragh Neary (0-03) for Fahy, Colm Molloy (0-02) for Brennan (all half-time), Brian Concannon (0-01) for Monaghan (47 minutes), Seán Linnane for Glennon (66)
Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin)
