WATCH: Man of the Match Darragh O'Donovan: "We just want to drive on now towards the final"

MAN of the Match Darragh O'Donovan said Limerick's workrate hadn't been good enough for the opening 20 minutes of Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway, but said it was a shortcoming they had addressed at half-time.

Limerick, who trailed their rivals 1-12 to 1-13 at half-time at Croke Park, turned in a powerful second half display to run out convincing 2-24 to 1-18 winners.

The Shannonsiders will face Clare or Kilkenny now in the final hoping to complete a four-in-a-row of Liam MacCarthy Cup wins in two weeks' time.

Limerick midfielder Darragh O'Donovan was awarded the of the Match accolade after turning in another tour de force display.

O'Donovan said: "We knew we wouldn't get anything soft. They got a big purple patch. We weathered that storm. We started to control the play a bit more, holding onto the ball.

"We started utilising Aaron (Gillane) inside and Seamus (Flanagan). To be fair the boys were on fire inside and they made the job very easy for us outside. 

"The workrate wasn't good enough in the first 20 minutes and we even addressed it inside there at half-time. It is very challenging when you are against a puck-out like Eanna Murphy's. He has a puck-out that is incredible.

Man of the match Darragh O'Donovan reflects on Limerick's progression to a fourth consecutive All-Ireland SHC final. pic.twitter.com/RMJGQD19Qn

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"Trying to adapt to that and when we got on top of it, that got us a good foothold in the game. That was probably a big positive in the last 45 minutes there."

Limerick's victory was achieved without two lynchpins of their defensive unit, injured corner back Sean Finn and centre Half-back and captain Declan Hannon.

O'Donovan told RTE's Sunday Game programme: "It's like anything, you are going to lose bodies, major blows we have been dealt over the last number of years. It is no different with Sean (Finn) and Declan (Hannon) this year. When we are out on the field there, we are fighting for those boys. 

"There are 15 fellas behind us and they are fighting to get on this team, so no one is irreplaceable, the team will move on, the game will go on, Limerick will always be there no matter who is there.

"We just want to drive on now towards the final and get another good performance from ourselves."