All-Ireland hurling semi-finalists Limerick and Galway are long time rivals

SATURDAY'S All-Ireland hurling semi-final clash will be the 16th ever senior hurling championship meeting between Limerick and Galway.

Of the previous meetings; Limerick have won 11 and Galway won four with the counties playing out a thrilling draw in 1981
Limerick were four championship games without a win over The Tribesmen before their unforgettable 2018 All-Ireland final win at Croke Park.

Prior to that, 1963 the last time the men in green defeated their maroon and white opponents in senior championship hurling.
When the counties met in a 2005 All Ireland SHC Qualifier at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Galway won that tie in the Gaelic Grounds 1-18 to 2-14. The tribesmen looked well on their way to a quarter-final clash when they led their hosts Limerick 1-9 to 0-6 at the interval.

However, they had to withstand a terrific second half onslaught from the home side and looked to top scorer Ger Farragher to point the way to victory in 68 minutes.

Galway showed plenty of pace up front and built up a lead of 1-7 to 0-3 but then slackened off to allow Ollie and Niall Moran and Pat Kirby to give Limerick some hope at the break when they trailed 1-9 to 0-6.

It was a different Limerick at the start of the second half and inside three minutes they had opponents reeling as they stole ahead 2-7 to 1-9.

That lead was carved by the Ryan brothers Donie and TJ with Donie firing to the net following a delivery by Kirby, and then when he was later taken down, TJ netted from the penalty.

With excitement at fever pitch, both teams exchanged points and were still level 1-17 to 2-14 before Farragher sent over the crucial point.

LIMERICK 2005: Timmy Houlihan; Michael Clifford, Stephen Lucey, Mark Foley; Paudie O'Dwyer, Brian Geary, Peter Lawlor; Paul O'Grady, Donal O'Grady; Andrew O'Shaughnessy, Ollie Moran, Niall Moran; Donie Ryan, TJ Ryan, Patrick Kirby. Subs: Kevin Tobin for Michael Clifford, Patrick Tobin for Andrew O'Shaughnessy, James O'Brien for Kevin Tobin, Conor Fitzgerald for Niall Moran.

THE counties have met in three All-Ireland finals, 1923, 1980 and most recently 2018. The 1923 final wasn’t played until September 14, 1924 and Limerick were beaten 7-3 to 4-5.

Limerick beat Kerry, Cork and Tipperary to win the Munster SHC and then overcame Donegal in the semi final. The final, watched by approximately 7,000 in Croke Park, was Galway’s first title.

LIMERICK 1923: Paddy McInerney; Denny Lanigan, Jack Keane, Bob McConkey, Micky Fitzgibbon, Jack Hanley, Dave Murnane, Willie Gleeson, Willie Hough, Mick Neville, Jimmy Humphries, JJ Kinnane, Jack Keane, Micky Cross, Tom McGrath, Joe O’Grady. Subs: P Shinny, Johnny O’Shea.

GALWAY had to wait until 1980 for their next title and again Limerick were the opponents. Limerick beat Clare and Cork to win the Munster Championship and in doing so end The Rebel’s ambitions for a sixth successive provincial title. Limerick then progressed directly to the All Ireland final.

On September 7, 1980 there was an attendance of 64,895 in Croke Park to see the Connacht side emerge 2-15 to 3-9 winners over the Shannonsiders.

LIMERICK 1980: Tommy Quaid; Donal Murray, Leonard Enright, Dom Punch; Liam O'Donoghue, Mossie Carroll, Sean Foley; Jimmy Carroll, David Punch; Paudie Fitzmaurice, John Flanagan, Willie Fitzmaurice; Ollie O'Connor, Joe McKenna, Eamon Cregan.