There’s only one question on sports fans’ mind this afternoon: any tickets?
We’re a little over an hour away from throw-in in what promises to be an absolutely unmissable All-Ireland senior hurling final between reigning champions Galway and a Limerick side trying to end 45 years of shattered dreams in the county.
There won’t be a seat to spare in Croke Park this afternoon and if you’re one of the lucky 82,000 with a golden ticket — savour every last moment.
If not, settle in with the TV, radio and ourselves and you won’t miss a single puck of the ball.
In the build-up to this afternoon, most of the pundits and former players seem to be giving Galway the slightest edge as defending champions — but there’s almost universal expectation that there won’t be more than a score or two in this one either way come full time.
Earlier this morning, we asked you to vote here — and with more than 5,000 votes cast, there are only 17 separating the counties at the moment.
It’s that tight.
19 Aug 2018
2:35PM
It’s already been a day to savour for the people of Galway — they’ve just seen the county’s minors successfully defend their All-Ireland title with a 0-21 to 0-14 win against Kilkenny.
The hope among hurling fans everywhere is that today’s final is a fitting conclusion to what can only be described as a sensationally entertaining summer.
Here, RTÉ — with the help of Anthony Daly — set the scene:
‘This has been more than a Championship, it has been a revolution...this magic’ – @DaloAnto waxes lyrically on an incredible 2018 hurling season pic.twitter.com/wMB3ybeuCM
Here come the teams to an almighty roar from the Croke Park crowd.
Both teams start as named on Friday, we’re told.
19 Aug 2018
3:13PM
The first intriguing little subplot of the day: Galway were due to be the first team out onto the pitch but five minutes after their appointed time, they were still in the dressing room, and instead it was Limerick who emerged first — with the champions following them a few moments later.
This is what it’s all about. Will this current Galway team emulate the double-winning greats of 87 and 88, taking the Liam MacCarthy back west for another winter?
Or will it be Limerick’s day after so many near misses and years of heartbreak — a first All-Ireland title since 1973?
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
19 Aug 2018
3:25PM
President Michael D Higgins — born in Limerick, but a representative of Galway for most of his political career — is meeting the teams. Sure he can’t lose.
19 Aug 2018
3:29PM
As is tradition, the Artane Band play us in with Amhrán na bhFiann. We’re just about ready to go.
19 Aug 2018
3:30PM
THROW IN: We’re underway with Galway attacking the Hill 16 end.
19 Aug 2018
3:31PM
1 min – Two Limerick wides to one for Galway inside the opening 50 seconds as Joe Canning sends a shot into the Hill 16 end wide from distance, and then Tom Morrissey follows him at the other end.
19 Aug 2018
3:32PM
2 mins – Chance for Aaron Gillane to put Limerick on the board with a free from the halfway line. It has the legs but not the accuracy. Three wides already for Limerick.
19 Aug 2018
3:34PM
3 mins — Limerick 0-1 Galway 0-0: Diarmaid Byrnes picks out Gillane with a clever ball inside and the Patrickswell man gets the opening score of this final.
19 Aug 2018
3:35PM
4 mins — Limerick 0-2 Galway 0-0: Kyle Hayes tacks on another. Good start for Limerick — they’re swarming Galway.
19 Aug 2018
3:36PM
5 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-0: Lovely piece of skill by Gearóid Hegarty and Graeme Mulcahy finishes with a point. Limerick have had eight scoring chances — three points and five wides — in the opening five minutes which gives you some sense of their ferocious start.
19 Aug 2018
3:37PM
7 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-1: Joe Canning opens Galway’s account with a 65.
19 Aug 2018
3:38PM
7 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-2: David Burke leading by example! The ball into Gearóid Hegarty is slightly off, Burke pounces, shakes off Séamus Flanagan and scores.
19 Aug 2018
3:39PM
8 mins — Limerick 0-4 Galway 0-2: Brilliant by Cian Lynch. He gets into a crowd of bodies, skips between Johnny Coen and Joseph Cooney, and points.
19 Aug 2018
3:41PM
9 mins — Limerick 0-4 Galway 0-3: Galway are settling into their rhythm now. Padraig Mannion points to cut the gap to one.
19 Aug 2018
3:42PM
12 mins — Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-3: A loose ball squirts back into midfield where Darragh O’Donovan scoops and shoots. Straight between the posts.
19 Aug 2018
3:44PM
Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-4: Joe Canning points a free to keep Galway within touching distance.
19 Aug 2018
3:45PM
Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-5: From out under the shadow of the Hogan Stand, Joe Canning points. All square.
19 Aug 2018
3:46PM
Galway 0-6 Limerick 0-5: Galway appear to have cracked Nickie Quaid’s puckout code at the moment. McInerney fields a great ball, lays it off to Joseph Cooney, and Cooney does the rest.
GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 1-5 Galway 0-6 (Mulcahy, 16′)
A mad scramble and crazy goal but Graeme Mulcahy is rewarded for his persistence. He drops the ball in front of James Skehill’s goal and there’s a blur of boots and hurls as he somehow manages to hack it towards the goal and over the line.
Limerick 1-6 Galway 0-6: Tom Morrissey is given acres of space on the Hogan Stand side, and he doesn’t need to be asked twice. Three-point game.
19 Aug 2018
3:51PM
Declan Hannon bursts onto a ball in midfield… and fires Limerick’s seventh wide. There has been absolutely no let up in the pace here.
19 Aug 2018
3:52PM
Both sides are making mistakes. John Hanbury gives away easy possession; Limerick squander it just as badly; and Seamus Flanagan hits Limerick’s eighth wide.
19 Aug 2018
3:53PM
Limerick 1-7 Galway 0-6: Great read from Declan Hannon who skips in in front of Joe Canning, nicks the ball away from him, and bombs the ball over the bar.
19 Aug 2018
3:55PM
Great battling by Tom Morrissey and Graeme Mulcahy to strip Gearoid McInerney of possession, but Mulcahy shoots wide again. That’s nine for Limerick in 25 minutes, if you’re keeping count.
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-7: Declan Hannon is doing a fine job in marking Joe Canning, and in contributing at the other end. He’s first to the ball again, carries it a few strides, and fires it back over the Galway bar. David Burke responds quickly for Galway.
19 Aug 2018
4:00PM
Lovely skill from Johnny Coen who gets his stick in and flicks the ball away from Cian Lynch. Beautiful.
19 Aug 2018
4:03PM
Joe Canning from distance… wide. Limerick still lead by four.
19 Aug 2018
4:04PM
Ouch. Kyle Hayes gets up high above Joe Canning with both eyes firmly on the ball, but crunches through the back of Canning. It’ll be a Galway free once Canning has been seen to.
19 Aug 2018
4:05PM
Canning has a go from inside his own half… short, and Nickie Quaid clears.
19 Aug 2018
4:06PM
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-8: Limerick are furious as they smother out a Joseph Cooney attack. It’s called back for a free against Cian Lynch, and Joe Canning takes full advantage.
19 Aug 2018
4:07PM
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-9: Limerick switch off at a free. It’s taken quickly to Joseph Cooney and he gets his shot off before Gearóid Hegarty can block him. Just two points in it now as Galway finish the half strongly.
19 Aug 2018
4:09PM
Limerick 1-9 Galway 0-9: Soft free against Gearoid McInerney? It looked like he hit Seamus Flanagan square on shoulder-to-shoulder but Limerick get the free, and Gillane points it.
19 Aug 2018
4:10PM
Limerick 1-10 Galway 0-9: Seamus Flanagan sends Limerick in four points to the good at the break.
Joseph Cooney only Galway forward to have scored from play, they can’t get their attack going. Some contrast with first-half of last year’s final when they scored from their first 9 shots.
Not the best half of hurling we’ve seen this year by any stretch of the imagination, with a lot of mistakes from both sides. Limerick will be very pleased with how they’ve put their stamp on the game though – can they sustain that pace for another 35 minutes?
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
19 Aug 2018
4:28PM
SECOND HALF: We’re back underway. Can Limerick drive on for a first All-Ireland in 45 years, or will Galway be able to mount a comeback?
19 Aug 2018
4:29PM
Joe Canning hits the first wide of the half. He was a long way out, in his defence.
19 Aug 2018
4:30PM
Cian Lynch doesn’t have a huge amount of space to get his shot away, and it drops short into James Skehill’s grateful paw.
19 Aug 2018
4:31PM
Limerick 1-11 Galway 0-10: After a succession of errors in the Galway half, Kyle Hayes steps in, snatches the ball and points. Joseph Cooney responds quickly for Galway.
19 Aug 2018
4:32PM
Limerick 1-12 Galway 0-10: Magnificent score from Diarmaid Byrnes from distance.
19 Aug 2018
4:33PM
Limerick 1-13 Galway 0-10: Now we’ll see what the champions are made of — they trail by six as Kyle Hayes gets the green light from Hawk-Eye.
19 Aug 2018
4:34PM
Limerick 1-14 Galway 0-10: Kyle Hayes is on fire! Great work from Seamus Flanagan and Hayes puts Limerick seven up.
19 Aug 2018
4:36PM
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-10: Padraig Mannion puts Graeme Mulcahy into the stand, and that’s silly indiscipline from the Galway man. It gives Limerick the chance to move even further in front from a free – and Gillane takes it.
19 Aug 2018
4:38PM
Padraig Mannion takes over from Joe Canning for a long-range free, but sends it wide. Galway need to find an answer — and fast.
19 Aug 2018
4:41PM
Blood sub for Galway: Conor Cooney has a cut under his right eye so Jason Flynn comes on in his place for now.
19 Aug 2018
4:42PM
Limerick sub: Mike Casey has been struggling for the last few minutes. He goes down again in need of more attention and that’s the end of his afternoon — Richie McCarthy comes on in his place.
19 Aug 2018
4:44PM
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-11: Much better from Galway. Short pass from Padraig Mannion to put Joe Canning free in space and Canning makes no mistake. Seven-point game.
19 Aug 2018
4:45PM
Conor Cooney is ready to come back in, and Flynn returns to his seat on the bench.
19 Aug 2018
4:46PM
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-12: Canning again! Galway are back within six and Limerick’s mettle will be tested now.
GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-12 (Morrissey, 54′)
MASSIVE MOMENT – and Limerick have one hand on the Liam MacCarthy Cup! Tom Morrissey pounces on a mistake from Gearoid McInerney, shows some magnificent skill to control it away from the rallying Galway troops, and finishes smartly to the net. What a brilliant goal.
19 Aug 2018
4:49PM
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-13: Canning cuts the gap to eight, for now.
19 Aug 2018
4:51PM
SAVE BY JAMES SKEHILL! Put his body on the line to deny Séamus Flanagan a certain goal. Incredible bravery.
The game is still stopped to allow Skehill some treatment. That ball was going at some speed when it hit him.
19 Aug 2018
4:54PM
Galway sub: Fearghal Flannery comes on to replace Skehill, who can’t continue.
19 Aug 2018
4:54PM
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-14: David Burke makes it a seven-point game.
19 Aug 2018
4:55PM
Joe Canning has a chance to cut the gap to six but, instead, hits his long-range free wide — Galway’s 15th wide of the day.
19 Aug 2018
4:58PM
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-15: Canning again, and now Limerick’s lead is down to six. There’ll be plenty of additional time as well following the injuries to Casey and Skehill, as well as the subs.
19 Aug 2018
4:59PM
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-16: Canning again, booms over a free! Five in it.
That’s it from our minute-by-minute coverage as Declan Hannon finishes his speech and the sound of the Cranberries rings out around Croke Park.
Stick with us across the evening for lots more reaction and analysis of what will go down as one of the most sensational finishes to any All-Ireland hurling final in recent memory.
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As it happened: Galway v Limerick, All-Ireland senior hurling final
There’s only one question on sports fans’ mind this afternoon: any tickets?
We’re a little over an hour away from throw-in in what promises to be an absolutely unmissable All-Ireland senior hurling final between reigning champions Galway and a Limerick side trying to end 45 years of shattered dreams in the county.
There won’t be a seat to spare in Croke Park this afternoon and if you’re one of the lucky 82,000 with a golden ticket — savour every last moment.
If not, settle in with the TV, radio and ourselves and you won’t miss a single puck of the ball.
Throw-in is at 3.30pm.
In the build-up to this afternoon, most of the pundits and former players seem to be giving Galway the slightest edge as defending champions — but there’s almost universal expectation that there won’t be more than a score or two in this one either way come full time.
Earlier this morning, we asked you to vote here — and with more than 5,000 votes cast, there are only 17 separating the counties at the moment.
It’s that tight.
It’s already been a day to savour for the people of Galway — they’ve just seen the county’s minors successfully defend their All-Ireland title with a 0-21 to 0-14 win against Kilkenny.
Jones’ Road and Drumcondra has been absolutely teeming for the last few hours, as you’d expect:
A lot of people are in the same boat, unsurprisingly…
We’ve 45 minutes now until throw in, so it’s time for a first reminder of how the teams are expected to line out this afternoon.
First, it’s defending champions Galway who, crucially, have been able to call on Gearoid McInerney at centre back.
Galway
1. James Skehill (Cappataggle)
2. Adrian Tuohy (Beagh)
3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore)
4. John Hanbury (Rahoon-Newcastle)
5. Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh)
6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
7. Aidan Harte (Gort)
8. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
9. David Burke (St Thomas’, captain)
10. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
11. Joe Canning (Portumna)
12. Jonathan Glynn (Ardrahan)
13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
14. Conor Cooney (St Thomas’)
15. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
And here’s the Limerick starting XV, unchanged from the side that beat Cork in that epic semi-final a few weeks ago.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare, captain)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
10. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Séamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
We’ve plenty of pre-match reading to keep you ticking over between now and 3.30pm. Here are some of the best bits from our All-Ireland final build-up:
The hope among hurling fans everywhere is that today’s final is a fitting conclusion to what can only be described as a sensationally entertaining summer.
Here, RTÉ — with the help of Anthony Daly — set the scene:
Here come the teams to an almighty roar from the Croke Park crowd.
Both teams start as named on Friday, we’re told.
The first intriguing little subplot of the day: Galway were due to be the first team out onto the pitch but five minutes after their appointed time, they were still in the dressing room, and instead it was Limerick who emerged first — with the champions following them a few moments later.
This is what it’s all about. Will this current Galway team emulate the double-winning greats of 87 and 88, taking the Liam MacCarthy back west for another winter?
Or will it be Limerick’s day after so many near misses and years of heartbreak — a first All-Ireland title since 1973?
President Michael D Higgins — born in Limerick, but a representative of Galway for most of his political career — is meeting the teams. Sure he can’t lose.
As is tradition, the Artane Band play us in with Amhrán na bhFiann. We’re just about ready to go.
THROW IN: We’re underway with Galway attacking the Hill 16 end.
1 min – Two Limerick wides to one for Galway inside the opening 50 seconds as Joe Canning sends a shot into the Hill 16 end wide from distance, and then Tom Morrissey follows him at the other end.
2 mins – Chance for Aaron Gillane to put Limerick on the board with a free from the halfway line. It has the legs but not the accuracy. Three wides already for Limerick.
3 mins — Limerick 0-1 Galway 0-0: Diarmaid Byrnes picks out Gillane with a clever ball inside and the Patrickswell man gets the opening score of this final.
4 mins — Limerick 0-2 Galway 0-0: Kyle Hayes tacks on another. Good start for Limerick — they’re swarming Galway.
5 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-0: Lovely piece of skill by Gearóid Hegarty and Graeme Mulcahy finishes with a point. Limerick have had eight scoring chances — three points and five wides — in the opening five minutes which gives you some sense of their ferocious start.
7 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-1: Joe Canning opens Galway’s account with a 65.
7 mins — Limerick 0-3 Galway 0-2: David Burke leading by example! The ball into Gearóid Hegarty is slightly off, Burke pounces, shakes off Séamus Flanagan and scores.
8 mins — Limerick 0-4 Galway 0-2: Brilliant by Cian Lynch. He gets into a crowd of bodies, skips between Johnny Coen and Joseph Cooney, and points.
9 mins — Limerick 0-4 Galway 0-3: Galway are settling into their rhythm now. Padraig Mannion points to cut the gap to one.
12 mins — Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-3: A loose ball squirts back into midfield where Darragh O’Donovan scoops and shoots. Straight between the posts.
Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-4: Joe Canning points a free to keep Galway within touching distance.
Limerick 0-5 Galway 0-5: From out under the shadow of the Hogan Stand, Joe Canning points. All square.
Galway 0-6 Limerick 0-5: Galway appear to have cracked Nickie Quaid’s puckout code at the moment. McInerney fields a great ball, lays it off to Joseph Cooney, and Cooney does the rest.
GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 1-5 Galway 0-6 (Mulcahy, 16′)
A mad scramble and crazy goal but Graeme Mulcahy is rewarded for his persistence. He drops the ball in front of James Skehill’s goal and there’s a blur of boots and hurls as he somehow manages to hack it towards the goal and over the line.
Here’s that Mulcahy goal:
Limerick 1-6 Galway 0-6: Tom Morrissey is given acres of space on the Hogan Stand side, and he doesn’t need to be asked twice. Three-point game.
Declan Hannon bursts onto a ball in midfield… and fires Limerick’s seventh wide. There has been absolutely no let up in the pace here.
Both sides are making mistakes. John Hanbury gives away easy possession; Limerick squander it just as badly; and Seamus Flanagan hits Limerick’s eighth wide.
Limerick 1-7 Galway 0-6: Great read from Declan Hannon who skips in in front of Joe Canning, nicks the ball away from him, and bombs the ball over the bar.
Great battling by Tom Morrissey and Graeme Mulcahy to strip Gearoid McInerney of possession, but Mulcahy shoots wide again. That’s nine for Limerick in 25 minutes, if you’re keeping count.
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-7: Declan Hannon is doing a fine job in marking Joe Canning, and in contributing at the other end. He’s first to the ball again, carries it a few strides, and fires it back over the Galway bar. David Burke responds quickly for Galway.
Lovely skill from Johnny Coen who gets his stick in and flicks the ball away from Cian Lynch. Beautiful.
Joe Canning from distance… wide. Limerick still lead by four.
Ouch. Kyle Hayes gets up high above Joe Canning with both eyes firmly on the ball, but crunches through the back of Canning. It’ll be a Galway free once Canning has been seen to.
Canning has a go from inside his own half… short, and Nickie Quaid clears.
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-8: Limerick are furious as they smother out a Joseph Cooney attack. It’s called back for a free against Cian Lynch, and Joe Canning takes full advantage.
Limerick 1-8 Galway 0-9: Limerick switch off at a free. It’s taken quickly to Joseph Cooney and he gets his shot off before Gearóid Hegarty can block him. Just two points in it now as Galway finish the half strongly.
Limerick 1-9 Galway 0-9: Soft free against Gearoid McInerney? It looked like he hit Seamus Flanagan square on shoulder-to-shoulder but Limerick get the free, and Gillane points it.
Limerick 1-10 Galway 0-9: Seamus Flanagan sends Limerick in four points to the good at the break.
HALF TIME: Limerick 1-10 Galway 0-9
Not the best half of hurling we’ve seen this year by any stretch of the imagination, with a lot of mistakes from both sides. Limerick will be very pleased with how they’ve put their stamp on the game though – can they sustain that pace for another 35 minutes?
SECOND HALF: We’re back underway. Can Limerick drive on for a first All-Ireland in 45 years, or will Galway be able to mount a comeback?
Joe Canning hits the first wide of the half. He was a long way out, in his defence.
Cian Lynch doesn’t have a huge amount of space to get his shot away, and it drops short into James Skehill’s grateful paw.
Limerick 1-11 Galway 0-10: After a succession of errors in the Galway half, Kyle Hayes steps in, snatches the ball and points. Joseph Cooney responds quickly for Galway.
Limerick 1-12 Galway 0-10: Magnificent score from Diarmaid Byrnes from distance.
Limerick 1-13 Galway 0-10: Now we’ll see what the champions are made of — they trail by six as Kyle Hayes gets the green light from Hawk-Eye.
Limerick 1-14 Galway 0-10: Kyle Hayes is on fire! Great work from Seamus Flanagan and Hayes puts Limerick seven up.
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-10: Padraig Mannion puts Graeme Mulcahy into the stand, and that’s silly indiscipline from the Galway man. It gives Limerick the chance to move even further in front from a free – and Gillane takes it.
Padraig Mannion takes over from Joe Canning for a long-range free, but sends it wide. Galway need to find an answer — and fast.
Blood sub for Galway: Conor Cooney has a cut under his right eye so Jason Flynn comes on in his place for now.
Limerick sub: Mike Casey has been struggling for the last few minutes. He goes down again in need of more attention and that’s the end of his afternoon — Richie McCarthy comes on in his place.
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-11: Much better from Galway. Short pass from Padraig Mannion to put Joe Canning free in space and Canning makes no mistake. Seven-point game.
Conor Cooney is ready to come back in, and Flynn returns to his seat on the bench.
Limerick 1-15 Galway 0-12: Canning again! Galway are back within six and Limerick’s mettle will be tested now.
GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-12 (Morrissey, 54′)
MASSIVE MOMENT – and Limerick have one hand on the Liam MacCarthy Cup! Tom Morrissey pounces on a mistake from Gearoid McInerney, shows some magnificent skill to control it away from the rallying Galway troops, and finishes smartly to the net. What a brilliant goal.
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-13: Canning cuts the gap to eight, for now.
SAVE BY JAMES SKEHILL! Put his body on the line to deny Séamus Flanagan a certain goal. Incredible bravery.
Here’s that Tom Morrissey goal:
The game is still stopped to allow Skehill some treatment. That ball was going at some speed when it hit him.
Galway sub: Fearghal Flannery comes on to replace Skehill, who can’t continue.
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-14: David Burke makes it a seven-point game.
Joe Canning has a chance to cut the gap to six but, instead, hits his long-range free wide — Galway’s 15th wide of the day.
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-15: Canning again, and now Limerick’s lead is down to six. There’ll be plenty of additional time as well following the injuries to Casey and Skehill, as well as the subs.
Limerick 2-15 Galway 0-16: Canning again, booms over a free! Five in it.
GOAL FOR LIMERICK! Limerick 3-15 Galway 0-16 (Dowling, 67′)
DOWLING’S DONE IT! THAT SHOULD BE IT! LIMERICK ARE ON THE CUSP OF VICTORY!
We’re playing eight additional minutes here… a lot of nails left to be chewed.
GOAL FOR GALWAY! Limerick 3-15 Galway 1-16 (Whelan, 70+1′)
Galway have a lifeline — and there’s an eternity of time left here! At least seven more minutes to play here. Limerick lead by five.
They couldn’t, could they?
Galway free…
GOAL FOR GALWAY! Limerick 3-15 Galway 2-16 (Canning, 70+5′)
DON’T GO ANYWHERE! Canning rifles that free into the net. It’s not over, not by a long way.
Two-point game! Three minutes to play. Oh my days.
NIALL BURKE! GALWAY ARE BACK WITHIN A POINT! TWO MINUTES TO PLAY!
Limerick wide. 90 seconds left and Galway need a score
Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-17: Mulcahy scores! Limerick lead by two – can they hang on? A minute to play!
Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18: Canning points a 65. Will Galway have time for one last chance?
Galway free from absolutely miles back… is it within Canning’s range?
ALL OVER – LIMERICK ARE THE ALL-IRELAND HURLING CHAMPIONS!
It drops short and that’s it! Limerick win! Limerick win!
FULL TIME: Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18
What incredible drama!
After 45 years, what’s another eight minutes?! Limerick are the All-Ireland champions for the first time since 1973.
What a sensational finish to a sensational summer of hurling.
Amazing scenes on the pitch in Croke Park — pure joy — as Declan Hannon climbs the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup!
Here’s an ecstatic John Kiely:
That’s it from our minute-by-minute coverage as Declan Hannon finishes his speech and the sound of the Cranberries rings out around Croke Park.
Stick with us across the evening for lots more reaction and analysis of what will go down as one of the most sensational finishes to any All-Ireland hurling final in recent memory.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
All-Ireland SHC Galway Hurling Limerick Liveblog Minute-by-Minute Galway Limerick