Galway too good for Limerick

Galway 3-15 Limerick 1-10

Galway claimed the required 11-point win over Limerick in the Allianz NHL Division One Group One curtain raiser at Pearse Stadium this afternoon as three quick-fire second half goals from Damien Hayes, Kevin Broderick and top-scorer Eugene Cloonan saw them win 3-15 to 1-10.

With the lead being equally contested throughout, the Shannonsiders held a slight 0-08 to 0-07 lead at the interval.

The early exchanges were marked as a free-taking battle between Cloonan and Limerick forward Owen O’Neill. Athenry forward Cloonan clipped over 0-05 in the opening period, with four of those from placed balls.

Half forward Alan Kerins added a second name to the Galway score sheet after 26 minutes, when he scored a point from 35 metres.

Adrian Cullinane tagged on his first point four minutes later, but a rally of scores from Donnacha Sheehan (0-02) and Niall Moran (two cracking scores from play) saw Limerick a point in front at the break.

Limerick brought on Kilmallock forward Andrew O’Shaughnessy in the first half, but he struggling to find the form that had netted his 3-22 in previous league games.

A brace of goals from Hayes (38 minutes) and Broderick (40 minutes) soon had Galway back in front. Tony Óg Regan pointed just a minute later to push Galway to a 2-08 to 0-08 advantage.

Hayes shrugged off TJ Ryan’s challenge to find Cloonan, who put the sliotar past Croom stopper John Cahill with 17 minutes remaining.

Conor Hayes’ side netted a plus-13-points difference, which puts them ahead of Clare in the Division One standings and into the May 9 final at the Gaelic Grounds, as Cullinane (0-03), man-of-the-match Damien Hayes (0-02) and Cloonan, with two long range frees, stretched the game beyond Limerick.

The visitors netted a late goal through corner forward Sheehan.