Galway give Limerick a lesson in finishing

BALLINASLOE experienced a day borrowed from last summer yesterday, one of those rare occasions in the west when there was no rain-or threat of it. Perhaps the sense that spring was in the air jolted Galway enough to turn on the style in the second-half.

Galway 4-11 Limerick 1-10

The 4,500 or so in attendance witnessed a smashing game of football, much closer than Galway's flattering margin of victory suggests. Only in the final 15 minutes, following the bizarre second of Matthew Clancy's hat-trick of goals, did the nerves of Galway supporters ease.

This goal stripped the remaining remnants of belief from Limerick. They were disappearing for the entire half, shooting with less conviction as the half wore on.

Liam Kearns pinpointed this fact as the crucial difference between the sides in the second half. In the 43rd minute, with the game delicately-poised at 1-7 to 1-6 in Galway's favour, Muiris Gavin fed Eoin Keating on the flank.

Keating, who roasted Barry Dooney all afternoon, weaved past the Salthill defender again, putting free space between himself and Alan Keane. The big Galway keeper made a great stop, but Keating had failed to spot the intelligent run of Mike O'Brien in the centre.

Within a minute, the Galway movement, hot-wired by Keane's swift kick-out, had found its way into Padraic Joyce. He cushioned the ball beautifully into Micheal Donnellan's path. The attacker shrugged off the challenge of O'Donnell, slipping the ball under his body. The take of the second half condensed into 40 seconds.

"We got a lesson in finishing. We weren't finishing, they were," Kearns admitted afterwards. "You can't score four points in the second half against Galway and expect to win. I think that goal was a key moment, you are talking a six-point turnaround within a minute."

The experience, and little bit more class told in the end, but this result will do Limerick no harm at all. At this stage of development, they need to be reminded of the standard they strive for.

Galway will play better. Like Limerick, they were in a depleted state yesterday, Derek Savage and Kieran Fitzgerald the latest injuries to tax John O'Mahony.

However, they were 1-3 to 0-0 ahead on 10 minutes, all but Micheal Donnellan of their starting forwards having scored (Tommie Joyce was named corner-forward but played as a roving third midfielder). Clancy's goal in the 8th minute was the most memorable score of this phase, holding off two defenders to rifle the ball into the top corner.

Keating began his torture of Dooney, dancing around him to open the Shannon-sider's account in the 11th minute. It set the scene for the rest of the first half, which Limerick dominated for long stretches.

Timmy Carroll, Diarmuid Sheehy and Gavin all tacked on points before Keating equalised in the 19th minute with a superb point from the tightest of angles on the touch-line.

Galway always had enough talent to keep their noses in front. Padraic Joyce and John Devane, one of the youngsters who seized his chance to impress, scored fine points. Sheehy's goal in the 33rd minute changed the complexion of the game. Keating was again an inspiration, knocking a cross before the Galway goal, Sheehy rose above two Galway shirts and speared the ball past Donoghue.

That put Limerick in the lead for the first time. Joyce's accuracy ensured the teams departed the scene at the interval level, 1-6 apiece.

O'Mahony was happy with how his team performed after the game. "I have got to give credit to the lads for digging this game out in the second half, after the blow of losing Kevin Walsh in the first half. That is all you can do at this time of year. Limerick are a good side, they are not on six points for nothing and we really had to work hard for this victory."

Walsh went off with a foot injury in the 28th minute, and with their lengthy injury list, O'Mahoney will hope it is nothing too serious. Sean O'Domhaill, his replacement, played well but Walsh is the man who can lift this Galway team when it is needed.

Yesterday, they lifted themselves without Walsh, a good sign. There was also an encouraging sign in the Limerick midfield when John Galvin came on for the final 20 minutes. Galvin's first act was to pluck an Alan Keane kick-out from the air. He will be welcomed back.

Kearns intimated his side might meet Galway again on a sunny day before the year is out. If they do, Limerick will be a more formidable outfit with the likes of Galvin, Conor Fitzgerald and Brian Begley back in harness.

Scorers: Galway: M Clancy (3-0), P Joyce (0-6, 3 frees), M Donnellan (1-0), J Deane (0-3), N Joyce (0-2, 1 free). Limerick: M Gavin (0-6, 4 frees), D Sheehy (1-1), E Keating (0-2), T Carroll (0-1).

GALWAY: B Donoghue; B Dooney, G Fahey, C Monaghan, M Comer, D Burke, S De Paor; K Walsh, J Bergin; M Donnellan, P Joyce, M Clancy, J Devane, N Joyce, T. Joyce. Subs: S O'Domhaill for Walsh(28 mins), A Keane for Donoghue (h-t).

LIMERICK: S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, T Stack, P Browne, S Lucey, D Reidy; J Quane, T Carroll; M O'Brien, M Gavin, C Mullane, M Horan, J Murphy, E. Keating. Subs: S. Kelly for Murphy(h-t), M. Keane for Horan(50 mins), J Galvin for Quane(50 mins)

Ref: J. Bannon (Longford).