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The Galway–Limerick rivalry is a hurling rivalry between Irish county teams Galway and Limerick, who first played each other in 1911. The fixture has been an irregular one due to both teams playing in separate provinces. Galway's home ground is Pearse Stadium and Limerick's home ground is the Gaelic Grounds, however, the majority of their championship meetings have been held at neutral venues, usually Croke Park.
Location | County Galway County Limerick |
---|---|
Teams | ![]() ![]() |
First meeting | 3 December 1911 Limerick 8-1 - 2-0 Galway 1911 All-Ireland semi-final |
Latest meeting | 8 July 2023 Limerick 2-24 - 1-18 Galway 2023 All-Ireland semi-final |
Next meeting | TBA |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 15 |
All-time series | Championship: Limerick 10-4 Galway (1 draw) |
Largest victory | 3 December 1911 Limerick 8-1 - 2-0 Galway 1911 All-Ireland semi-final |
While Limerick have enjoyed sporadic periods of dominance going back to the early years of the championship, Galway enjoyed their own successful period during the 1980s. The two teams have won a combined total of eleven All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship titles.
As of 2018 Galway and Limerick have met twelve times in the hurling championship with Limerick recording seven victories to Galway's four. There has been one drawn game between the two teams.
History
edit1911: Inaugural clash
editThe very first Galway-Limerick clash took place on 3 December 1911 in the All-Ireland semi-final. Galway were completely underprepared for the game, which Limerick won by 8-1 to 2-0.
1921-1923: Honours even
editOn 25 June 1922 Galway and Limerick clashed for the first time in over a decade in what was the 1921 All-Ireland semi-final. Limerick's ability to score goals was they key as they ran out 6-0 to 2-2 winners.
In 1923 the political realities of the era affected the championship. Galway and Limerick qualified for the All-Ireland final, however, Limerick refused to play the game until all Civil War prisoners were released. They were initially disqualified and the title awarded to Galway, however, the game eventually took place on 14 September 1924. Mick Gill’s new tactic of lobbing the sliotar into the square paid dividends as Galway scored seven goals over the hour. A 7-3 to 4-5 victory gave Galway an historic first All-Ireland title while it marked the end of the road for the great Limerick team of the era.
1934-1940: Limerick's greatest era
editSt. Cronan's Park in Roscrea was the venue for Galway's All-Ireland semi-final clash with Limerick on 5 August 1934. Limerick, the defeated All-Ireland finalists of the previous year, easily accounted for the opposition on a score line of 4-4 to 2-4.
Galway faced Limerick in an All-Ireland semi-final once again on 11 August 1940. By this stage Limerick were regarded as one of the teams of the decade having won two All-Ireland titles from four consecutive appearances between 1933 and 1936. Limerick made no mistake and recorded a 3-6 to 0-5 victory. The Galway players walked off the pitch with fifteen minutes left as they were not impressed with the rough tactics of their opponents.
1962-1963: Unique provincial clashes
editGalway and Limerick's next championship clash was on 27 May 1962 in a Munster quarter-final. Galway, who had faced no opposition in their own province for many years, were admitted to Munster in 1959. Having only won one game in the previous three seasons, the odds were stacked against the Westerners. Limerick made no mistake and recorded a 2-13 to 2-7 victory.
A year later on 9 June 1963, Galway faced Limerick in a Munster semi-final at Cusack Park. Limerick's top scorer, Tom McGarry, bagged 1-1 to help the Treaty men to a 3-9 to 2-7 victory.
1980-1981: Galway supremacy
editA mhuintir na Gaillimhe, tar éis seacht bliain
agus caoga, tá Craobh na hÉireann ar ais i
nGaillimh. Is iontach an lá innui a bheith mar
Gaillimhach. Ta daoine anois i nGaillimh agus
tá gliondar ina gcroi. Ach freisin caithimíd
caoimhniú ar daoine i Sasana, i Meiriceá, ar
fud na tíre agus tá siad ag caoineadh anois
láthair...People of Galway, we love you!
Joe Connolly's acceptance speech
following the 1980 All-Ireland final.[1]
On 7 September 1980, Galway and Limerick clashed for the first in seventeen years. It was also their first All-Ireland final meeting since 1923. Early goals by Bernie Forde and P.J. Molloy gave Galway a 2-1 to no score lead after just ten minutes and helped them to a 2-7 to 1-5 lead at the interval. Éamonn Cregan single-handedly launched the Limerick counter-attack in the second-half. Over the course of the game he scored 2-7, including an overhead goal and a point in which he showed the sliotar to full-back Conor Hayes and nonchalantly drove the ball over the bar. It was not enough to stem the tide and Galway went on to win the game by 2-15 to 3-9. It was the county’s first All-Ireland title since 1923 and the celebrations surpassed anything ever seen in Croke Park. It took captain Joe Connolly ten minutes to reach the rostrum in the Hogan Stand to collect the Liam MacCarthy Cup, however, once there he delivered one of the most famous acceptance speeches of all-time.[2]
Just under a year later on 2 August 1981, Galway and Limerick renewed their rivalry in an All-Ireland semi-final clash. In a low-scoring game Éamonn Cregan top scored for Limerick with 0-5. In a game described in the Irish Times as "turbulent", a draw was seen as a fair result as Galway finished with 0-11 t0 Limerick's 1-8.
The replay two weeks later on 16 August 1981 was a much more free-flowing game. The Connolly brothers, Joe and John, combined to a score 3-9 between for Galway. Éamonn Cregan was once again Limerick's scorer-in-chief as he bagged 1-5. Brian Carroll scored a second goal for Limerick, however, it couldn't halt Galway's momentum. A 4-16 to 2-17 victory sent the Westerners into a third successive All-Ireland final.
2005: Most recent meeting
editThe first championship meeting in almost a quarter of a century took place at the Gaelic Grounds on 9 July 2005 in a third ground qualifier group game. The opening fifteen minutes proved a nightmare for Limerick debutante Michael Clifford who was given a roasting by Damien Hayes. Galway, thanks to Ger Farragher and Hayes, led 0-6 to 0-2 before Hayes capitalised on a weak clearance by goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan to return the ball to the net. Galway 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 Galway reeling as they stole ahead 2-7 to 1-9. As the game drew to a close Limerick made championship history, not because of what they did, but because of what they were trying to do. They found themselves in the never-before-seen championship situation whereby not even a draw would save their day. 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 for a Galway win.[3]
2018: Limerick's First All-Ireland Final Victory Against Galway
editLimerick won their first match against Galway in an All Ireland final at the 2018 final, ending their 45-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy trophy.[4]
All time results
editLegend
editLimerick win | |
Galway win | |
Draw |
Senior
editNo. | Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 3 December 1911 | Limerick (1) | 8-1 - 2-0 | Galway | O'Moore Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
2. | 25 June 1922 | Limerick (2) | 6-0 - 2-2 | Galway | Markets Field | All-Ireland semi-final | |
3. | 14 September 1923 | Galway (1) | 7-3 - 4-5 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland final | |
4. | 5 August 1934 | Limerick (3) | 4-4 - 2-4 | Galway | St. Cronan's Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
5. | 11 August 1940 | Limerick (4) | 3-6 - 0-5 | Galway | Cusack Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
6. | 27 May 1962 | Limerick (5) | 2-13 - 2-7 | Galway | Cusack Park | Munster quarter-final | |
7. | 8 June 1963 | Limerick (6) | 3-9 - 2-7 | Galway | Cusack Park | Munster quarter-final | |
8. | 7 September 1980 | Galway (2) | 2-15 - 3-9 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland final | |
9. | 2 August 1981 | Galway | 1-8 - 0-11 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
10. | 16 August 1981 | Galway (3) | 4-16 - 2-17 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final replay | |
11. | 9 July 2005 | Galway (4) | 1-18 - 2-14 | Limerick | Gaelic Grounds | All-Ireland qualifier | |
12. | 19 August 2018 | Limerick (7) | 3-16 - 2-18 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland final | |
13. | 19 August 2020 | Limerick (8) | 0-27 - 0-24 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
14. | 3 July 2022 | Limerick (9) | 0-27 - 1-21 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
15. | 8 July 2023 | Limerick (10) | 2-24 - 1-18 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final |
Under-21
editNo. | Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 16 August 1981 | Limerick (1) | 2-6 - 2-1 | Galway | Cusack Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
2. | 21 June 1987 | Limerick (2) | 2-15 - 3-6 | Galway | Cusack Park (Ennis) | All-Ireland final | |
3. | 17 September 2000 | Limerick (3) | 1-13 - 0-13 | Galway | Semple Stadium | All-Ireland final | |
4. | 25 August 2001 | Limerick (4) | 1-13 - 2-5 | Galway | Cusack Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
5. | 15 September 2002 | Limerick (5) | 3-17 - 0-8 | Galway | Semple Stadium | All-Ireland final | |
6. | 20 August 2011 | Galway (1) | 0-22 - 2-14 | Limerick | Semple Stadium | All-Ireland semi-final | |
7. | 19 August 2017 | Limerick (6) | 2-23 - 2-19 | Galway | Semple Stadium | All-Ireland semi-final |
Minor
editNo. | Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 11 August 1940 | Limerick (1) | 5-6 - 1-2 | Galway | Cusack Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
2. | 7 September 1958 | Limerick (2) | 5-8 - 3-10 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland final | |
3. | 17 May 1959 | Limerick (3) | 4-11 - 4-4 | Galway | Croke Park | Munster quarter-final | |
4. | 27 May 1962 | Limerick (4) | 8-12 - 7-2 | Galway | Cusack Park | Munster quarter-final | |
5. | 12 May 1963 | Limerick (5) | 2-11 - 4-4 | Galway | Gaelic Grounds | Munster quarter-final | |
6. | 9 July 1967 | Limerick (6) | 4-6 - 2-3 | Galway | Cusack Park | Munster semi-final | |
7. | 21 July 2000 | Galway (1) | 0-23 - 1-7 | Limerick | Cusack Park | All-Ireland quarter-final | |
8. | 11 September 2005 | Galway (2) | 3-13 - 0-17 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland final | |
9. | 18 August 2013 | Galway (3) | 0-23 - 0-20 | Limerick | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
10. | 17 August 2014 | Limerick (7) | 1-27 - 2-9 | Galway | Croke Park | All-Ireland semi-final | |
11. | 26 July 2015 | Galway (4) | 1-14 - 0-13 | Limerick | Semple Stadium | All-Ireland quarter-final |
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ Heneghan, Conor. "Joe Connolly's memorable speech in the 1980 All-Ireland Final". Joe.ie. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ "The 10 most important hurling matches. Ever". Irish Examiner. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ "Farragher sets up less daunting task for Galway". Irish Times. 11 July 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ "As it happened: Galway v Limerick, All-Ireland senior hurling final". the42. Retrieved 12 July 2023.