Electric Ireland MHC semi-final: Limerick too good for Galway

Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Semi-final

Limerick 1-26 Galway 1-15

By Billy Coss at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg

Captain Shane Waters top scored and midfielder Xavier Neligan fired a magnificent early goal as a sharper and more cohesive Limerick outfit accounted for Galway and sealed their place in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship final.

Diarmuid Mullins' side started in the ascendancy and never let up as they turned with a 1-12 to 0-9 lead and further strengthened their position during a dominant second 30 minutes. Gus Lohan struck a late goal for the Leinster champions, but it proved nothing more than a consolation.

Waters contributed nine points for the Munster runners-up while Rian Horgan and Eamon O'Sullivan scored six between them in a very slick attack. Neligan finished with 1-2 from midfield, his green flag on eight minutes the highlight of the contest after running for over 60 metres through the heart of the Galway defence.

That major was the centrepiece of Limerick's 1-6 to 0-3 lead after 16 minutes with Waters splitting the posts on five occasions between frees and open play.

Neligan came close to netting his second goal when firing over from close range, while O'Sullivan, Zach Bennis, Horgan and Ryan Foley were also on the mark for the winners before the break.

Anthony Poniard, with three points, free-taker Michael Coen and Eoghan McClearn were the chief score getters for Galway in reply.

With their defence outstanding, Limerick's grip on the game never loosened and their lead was out to 1-17 to 0-11 on 42 minutes after one of the points of the day from wing-back John O'Riordan.

Waters, Bennis and Neligan were also on target as Coen provided Galway's sole replies in the third quarter from two placed balls.

Limerick were terrific all through and they stretched even further clear with seven of the next nine points. Diarmuid Crowe ensured that all of their starting forwards scored as the difference increased to a high of 13 points. Waters topped up his tally while O'Sullivan and Horgan continued to show their class up front.

Gus Lohan's 59th minute goal and Tadhg Mac Carthaigh's third point of the evening arrived for Galway late on, but Kenneth Burke's side were always kept at arm's length.

Limerick have contested eight minor finals in their history and you have to rewind to the GAA's centenary year of 1984 for the last of their three victories. They'll have an opportunity to end that famine and avenge their Munster final loss when they take on Tipperary later this month.

Scorers for Limerick: Shane Waters 0-9 (6f); Xavier Neligan 1-2, Rian Horgan 0-5; Eamon O'Sullivan 0-3; Zach Bennis and Ryan Foley 0-2 each; John O'Riordan, Diarmuid Crowe and John Ross O'Reilly 0-1 each

Scorers for Galway: Michael Coen 0-5 (3f, 165); Gus Lohan 1-1; Anthony Poniard and Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh 0-3 each; Eoghan McClearn 0-2; Kayn Boyle 0-1.

Limerick: Sam Collins; Rowan Collins, William Ryan, Sam Mitchell; John O’Riordan, Conor Ryan, Eoin Hennessy; Xavier Nelligan, Jack Roche; Diarmuid Crowe, Ryan Foley, Shane Waters (captain); Eamon O’Sullivan, Zach Bennis, Rian Horgan. Subs: Paul Collins for Roche (45), Gavin O'Brien for Bennis (56), Donagh Horgan for Ryan (56), John Ross O'Reilly for Foley (56), Cian Hickey for Neligan (57).

Galway: Mark Walsh; Jack Cahill, Dillon O’Shaughnessy, Ethan Whyte; Cathal Donoghue, Conor Lynskey, Ultan Leen; Jamie Egan, Eoghan McClearn; Eli Huban, Gus Lohan (captain), Tom McAdam; Michael Coen, Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, Anthony Poniard. Subs: Conor O’Neill for Lynskey (temp, 25-FT); Cillian Power for Huban (38), Cathal Larkin for Coen (47), Dáithí Dillon for Egan (42), Joey McMahon for Leen (56), Kayn Boyle for McAdam (56).

Referee: Peter Owens (Down).