Galway edge Croker epic

Galway 0-23 Limerick 0-20 (aet)

A first-minute Barry Nash point for Limerick was wrongly ruled out by the score detection technology which reported a ‘miss’ instead of a point. And it proved costly for Limerick, who finished level after normal time, at 0-16 apiece, and eventually went down after extra-time.

Hawk-Eye, brought in at Croke Park earlier this year, adjudicated on a second issue later in the game, incidentally ruling out another Nash point, before being stood down for the rest of the day due to what GAA officials termed an “inconsistency with the screen graphic”.

Both managers agreed afterwards that Nash’s point, just seconds into the contest, looked fine and an umpire awarded it.

It wasn’t made clear who called for Hawk-Eye’s intervention but, once asked for, a graphic on the large screens showed the ball dissecting the posts for a score, followed by the message ‘miss’, resulting in the score being ruled out.

“We move on,” said Limerick manager Brian Ryan. “These matches aren’t going to be replayed. I think you take the rough with the smooth and there’s a bit of misfortune goes around from time to time. I’m not here to criticise the systems.

“That’s for other people to go back and have a look at. Unfortunately, if we were on the losing end of it.”

Ryan felt because the incident occurred so early on, it wasn’t game-defining. Victorious Galway boss Mattie Murphy also said the game didn’t hinge on the unlikely error.

“You have to roll with the punches,” said Murphy. “What you’re going to get today, you mightn’t get the next day. That’s hurling. I mean they had 55 minutes [to win the game]. I don’t honestly know what to say. I was looking up at Hawk-Eye and I was kind of surprised when ‘miss’ came up, to be honest.”

It was an unfortunate talking point at the end of a keenly contested game which was level a staggering 16 times, 13 in normal time.

It all means Galway march on to the September 8 final against Waterford, who haven’t been in a final since 1992. Galway will be hot tips for a third title in five seasons.

Limerick were hard done by early on but, in the entire first half, had 17 scoring chances of which they only took eight. Galway had 10 scoring chances and also took eight, leaving the scores level on 0-8 apiece at the break when Limerick should have been several to the good.

Perhaps the biggest reason boss Ryan wasn’t quibbling afterwards was because they were awarded what appeared a soft free late on themselves, to force extra-time.

Galway were leading by one at that stage thanks to Adrian Morrissey’s fine score from the right wing when Limerick’s lively half-forward Cian Lynch was fouled.

It was a controversial call and Galway fans naturally argued that it was to make up for Limerick’s earlier misfortune, free-taker Ronan Lynch converting it.

Limerick couldn’t capitalise on the momentum, however. Despite being level three more times in the extra period, they were eventually burnt off by four Galway scores in the dying minutes of the game.

“I think what told in the end was Galway’s cuteness around this place [Croke Park],” claimed Limerick boss Ryan. “It was our first experience here and there’s no doubt that a run out here for the first time, for lads of 17, is an occasion in itself.

“Like, for Galway, this is an annual ritual for them because they have a direct route into it every year and it’s a great bedding ground to grow young players.”

Limerick fought tooth and nail to overcome Tipperary and then Waterford, after a replay, in Munster. Galway reached the penultimate stage of the Championship for the seventh time in 10 years by defeating lowly Laois.

Still, it looked good for Limerick early on. Despite the Nash ruling, they moved 0-3 to 0-1 clear thanks to points from Lynch and Dean Coleman. But resurgent Galway levelled at 0-3 apiece after 10 minutes, beginning a tit-for-tat scoring pattern.

Limerick’s Nash was an impressive performer, scoring 0-6. And their score taking throughout a lively second half was of a high order, Darragh Kennedy and Darragh O’Donovan both nailing fine points.

Limerick did take a brief lead in extra-time at 0-20 to 0-19 early in the second half. But a point from Galway’s excellent corner-forward Conor Whelan levelled it. Whelan’s fourth of the game soon after, followed by a clever scooped point by Ronan O’Meara and one from Eanna Burke, represented a significant late Galway kick for the finish line.

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

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

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

Subs: J Hastings for O’Meara (37), V Doyle for R Doyle (52), E Brannigan for Dolan (56), Dolan for Morrissey (68), O’Meara for B Burke (ht et), R Bellew for Conneely (73).

LIMERICK: C Ryan; S Finn, R English, M Casey; A La Touche Cosgrave, R Lynch; S Flanagan; D O’Donovan, D Kennedy; D Dempsey, B Nash, C Lynch; D Coleman, T Morrissey, P Ryan.

Subs: S Flanagan for Morrissey (ht), J Porter for Casey (46), E Doyle for Kennedy (53), Morrissey for Ryan (56), J Butler for Morrissey (68), S Ryan for La Touche Cosgrave (81).

Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary).