New-look Galway carry momentum into final with Limerick

Tribesmen chasing sixth All-Ireland senior hurling title

By David Connors

AS tests go, they do not come much bigger than this. Galway head into Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final against a Limerick side that has claimed six of the last eight Munster titles and five Liam MacCarthy Cups during a remarkable six-year spell between 2018 and 2023.

John Kiely’s men may have missed out on the last two All-Ireland titles, but that does little to diminish what they have achieved. This Limerick team has earned its place alongside only one other modern-day great when discussions turn to the finest hurling sides of all time - Brian Cody’s all-conquering Kilkenny outfit of the 2000s and early 2010s.

That, however, is exactly what makes Sunday such an enticing occasion from a Galway perspective. Opportunities to etch your name into hurling folklore do not come around very often. That is reinforced by the fact that, in hurling history, Galway have only lifted the All-Ireland senior hurling crown on five occasions (1923, 1980, 1987, 1988 and 2017).

Complacency will certainly not be an issue, nor will the Tribesmen be under any illusions about the scale of the task facing them. At the same time, Galway can draw encouragement from the fact that Limerick have shown they are beatable. Cork and Dublin have both toppled the Treaty men in knockout games over the past two campaigns, while Clare came within touching distance of doing likewise in the semi-final before falling just short, with a controversial possible black card decision not going in their favour. It serves as a reminder that even one of the greatest teams the game has ever seen is no longer invincible and that a window of opportunity may present itself.

Micheál Donoghue’s side will walk into Croke Park as underdogs, but they have already shown throughout this year that they can match the very best. If they can reproduce the intensity, discipline and defensive resilience that dismantled Cork two weeks ago, Galway will travel to headquarters believing they have far more than a puncher’s chance of bringing Liam MacCarthy back across the Shannon.

Donoghue and his management team won’t need any reminding of how they were dethroned in 2018. Galway were regarded as the best team around at the time, but a team of fresh-faced Limerick upstarts came with a brilliant plan devised by their renowned coach Paul Kinnerk and executed it to perfection to win the All-Ireland and end a 45-year famine in the process.

Seven years on, the dynamic has shifted. Limerick are now the established force in hurling, while Galway arrive as the ambitious challengers looking to upset the natural order. There would be a certain symmetry if the county against whom Limerick’s remarkable era truly began was also the one to bring it to an end.

That task is easier said than done. As manager of Limerick at U-21 and senior level, John Kiely’s record in finals makes for frightening reading: 19 victories and just one defeat. The only loss came in a penalty shootout against Cork in last year’s Munster final. All that has amounted to eight Munster titles, five All-Irelands and four leagues at senior level. So, by any barometer, when Limerick get there, all evidence points towards them being able to handle the pressure and perform on the big day.

How much of that is down to their highly regarded performance psychologist Caroline Currid is open to debate. But it is noteworthy that, apart from 2017, every season in which she has been off-field counsel to Kiely has concluded with the Liam MacCarthy Cup residing in Limerick that winter. The Sligo native wasn’t involved for the past two campaigns - which incidentally saw Limerick fail to win the All-Ireland - but returned to her role last November.

Between Kiely, master coach Kinnerk, performance psychologist Caroline Currid and performance analyst Seánie O’Donnell, Limerick possess one of the most formidable management teams around. Add in the backing of billionaire businessman JP McManus and it is fair to say no stone has been left unturned in creating an elite high-performance environment.

Of course, even the finest backroom team needs exceptional players to work with and Limerick have them in abundance. Nickie Quaid has a compelling case to be regarded as the greatest goalkeeper the game has seen, while the full-back line of Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey and Barry Nash has become one of the defining units of this generation.

Across the half-back line, Diarmaid Byrnes, Will O’Donoghue and Kyle Hayes provide the platform from which so many of Limerick’s attacks are launched.

Such is their strength in depth that when captain and two-time Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch was only deemed fit enough for a substitute appearance in the last four meeting with Clare, Adam English stepped seamlessly into the starting team alongside the ever-reliable Darragh O’Donovan. Few counties could absorb the absence of a player of Lynch’s calibre so comfortably and have a player of English’s quality available to step into the breach.

Further forward, while Aaron Gillane has perhaps not hit the heights expected of him this season, Gearóid Hegarty has emerged as the leading contender for Hurler of the Year. Alongside him, Aidan O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill, Shane O’Brien and the always-elusive Peter Casey provide Limerick with an attack capable of punishing even the smallest defensive lapse.

So, what of Galway? Twelve months ago, as supporters trudged out of the Gaelic Grounds following a sobering quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Tipperary, the prospect of reaching this stage in 2026 seemed a long way off.

Yet, under Micheál Donoghue’s guidance, this young Galway side has improved at a remarkable rate and now stands just one performance away from completing one of the most unexpected championship journeys ever.

Nevertheless, much of the post-match discourse surrounding Galway’s semi-final victory centred on Cork’s second half collapse. Was it simply a case of the Rebels imploding or did Galway force them into that display through relentless pressure? The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. One thing is certain, however, Limerick will not wilt as easily. If Galway are to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup, they will almost certainly have to produce another complete 70-minute performance.

Encouragingly, Donoghue’s side head into the decider with a host of players in exceptional form. Darach Fahy is unquestionably enjoying his finest season between the posts, while Cillian Trayers, Daithí Burke and Joshua Ryan have all produced outstanding displays throughout the championship. Across the half-back line, Ronan Glennon has put himself firmly in the All-Star conversation, Padraic Mannion continues to dictate games from deep, and captain Darren Morrissey has been a model of consistency after finally putting his injury troubles behind him.

At midfield, Tiernan Killeen and Gavin Lee have complemented each other superbly, quietly but effectively laying the platform for Galway’s success. Then there is Cathal Mannion. Limerick know better than anyone the influence he can exert, but history suggests they are unlikely to fundamentally alter their own approach in an attempt to nullify Galway’s chief playmaker.

Further forward, Jason Rabbitte produced a coming-of-age display against Cork to deservedly collect the man of the match award and looks destined for an All-Star, with Young Hurler of the Year also firmly within his sights. Conor Whelan is enjoying something of a renaissance campaign, while Tom Monaghan, despite not starting Galway’s opening three championship games, has emerged as one of the county’s leading lights and a genuine Hurler of the Year contender.

Nor does Galway’s threat end there. Aaron Niland and Darragh Neary have repeatedly shown they are capable of changing the course of a game in a matter of minutes. There has also been plenty of positive impact off the bench from the likes of Conor Cooney, Cian Daniels and John Fleming, to name but three. Should Rory Burke recover in time, it would provide another significant boost to Galway’s cause.

Even so, it goes without saying that if Galway are to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup, plenty will have to go their way. Containing Gearóid Hegarty will be near the top of Donoghue’s list of priorities, with one of Ronan Glennon or Padraic Mannion likely to be entrusted with that responsibility. Galway must also find a way to negate Limerick’s towering half-back line, while Darach Fahy’s puck-out strategy will have to be close to flawless. Any cheap turnovers against a side of Limerick’s quality are likely to be ruthlessly punished.

Equally important will be Galway’s ability to disrupt the supply line. The influence of Darragh O’Donovan, Cian Lynch and Adam English around the middle third must be curtailed if the Tribesmen are to limit the quality of ball reaching Aaron Gillane and Shane O’Brien.

Gillane and Cathal O’Neill, in particular, have perhaps been quieter than expected in recent weeks, but both possess the ability to decide an All-Ireland final in the blink of an eye. Galway simply cannot afford to allow either player that opportunity.

So, the question remains: can Galway win? The answer is undoubtedly yes. Limerick may no longer be quite the irresistible force they were at the peak of their powers, while Galway have developed into a side boasting an ideal blend of fearless youth and invaluable experience. They have momentum, belief and, perhaps most importantly, nothing to fear.

The mind drifts back to the league meeting between the sides in the Gaelic Grounds last spring. Galway trailed by 10 points at half-time and looked destined for a heavy defeat yet produced an outstanding second half display to almost turn the contest on its head.

In many ways, that game offered the first real glimpse of the game plan Micheál Donoghue and his management team had spent the winter painstakingly putting together. Four months on, that system is far more polished, the players are far more comfortable with it and Galway arrive at headquarters carrying a level of confidence that simply did not exist back then.

For all that Limerick have achieved, no dynasty lasts forever. Every great team eventually reaches the point where another group rises to challenge them. Whether Galway are ready to become that team will be answered over 70-plus minutes on Sunday afternoon.

One thing is beyond dispute, this Galway side has already surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. They have brought silverware back to the county, reconnected supporters with the team and restored belief in the maroon and white jersey.

If Donoghue’s men can produce another display of the intensity, courage and selflessness that has defined their championship, they have every chance of writing one of the greatest chapters in Galway hurling history. The challenge could scarcely be greater, but neither could the prize. Throw-in at Croke Park on Sunday is 3.30pm.