Hayes helps Tribesmen to victory in Limerick

Limerick 2-14 Galway 1-18

Damien Hayes starred as Galway topped group A of the All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers Round Three at the Gaelic Grounds tonight.

A Ger Farragher point, his seventh of the evening, wrapped up Galway's third straight win of the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers as they staved off a second half revival from Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.

An attendance of 9,206 witnessed an ill-disciplined ending to the final Group A tie as Limerick's hopes of a match-winning goal floundered.

A two-goal burst at the start of the second half from Limerick through Donie Ryan and TJ Ryan (penalty) put the Shannonsiders right back into it, but Conor Hayes' men, who top Group A, held on to avoid provincial winners Cork and Kilkenny in tomorrow's quarter-final draw.

Farragher, Galway's championship top scorer with 1-24 before the throw-in, opened the scoring with a neat free, Damien Hayes, Tony Og Regan and David Tierney added further efforts as the visitors went 0-4 to 0-2 in front by the ninth minute.

The Tribesmen were scoring in clutches, and crucial clutches - Hayes' banged over his second and third points to confirm his dominance over marker Michael Clifford.

A poor clearance from Limerick defender Stephen Lucey then allowed man-of-the-match Hayes to goal on 16 minutes, setting up a 1-6 to 0-2 buffer.

Mark Foley was immediately switched onto the influential Hayes, but it made little difference as the sides swapped three points apiece before the break.

TJ Ryan, Ollie and Niall Moran scored for Joe McKenna's Limerick, while Farragher (0-2, 1f) and skipper Ollie Canning pointed for the visitors.

0-5 to 1-9 down at the break, Limerick threw caution to the wind in the second half, pocketing an early haul of 2-1 in the second half.

Donie Ryan used his strength well to brush off Cian Coen and round Galway stopper Liam Donoghue to net, just seconds in.

Then TJ Ryan struck a 38th-minute penalty - won by Donie Ryan - past Donoghue for a 2-7 to 1-9 Limerick lead.

Galway failed to panic however, quickly levelled through Farragher and rounding out the win with Hayes clipping over another point to add to his first half collection of 1-3.

Corner forward Patrick Kirby, starting his first championship match, notched his fifth free, and sixth in all, to square up the game again with three minutes remaining, but the nerveless Farragher provided the difference with a late score of his own.