National Hurling League Division One B/Galway 0-17 Limerick 1-9:As he stood in the dank changing rooms underneath the Mackey Stand yesterday evening, Ger Loughnane was already enthusing about hosting Tipperary in Salthill in some three weeks' time.
After the comfortable opening victory against Antrim, this visit to Limerick brought out something of the bite and directness Loughnane hopes to inculcate in Galway's hurlers. And although it is early season, he seemed pleased by the manner of this win.
Galway coasted in the last 10 minutes, with three eye-catching points from Kevin Broderick, Eugene Cloonan and Richie Murray embellishing a victory that was won with the more traditional values of heart and aggression.
"We are looking to combine that aggression and toughness with the skill and speed and skills, the repertoire that these hurlers already have," said Loughnane. "And this game was perfectly set up for us, just a point up after playing with the wind in the first half. It showed that when we really needed it, there was a spark about our play."
Second-guessing the likely outlook of Galway's championship team is a risky business. The new management is holding brisk auditions. Ger Farragher returned but with Cloonan established in the full-forward and free-taking role from which Farragher propelled himself to an All Star a couple of seasons ago, he had to make do with the problematic centre-half berth. It didn't really happen for the Castlegar man in the first half and after the break, Galway went with the more robust and physical presence of Mark Kerins with telling results.
His brother, Alan, led by example all afternoon, covering the field and tearing into tackles and opening the match with a fine point. Galway also had strong performances from Richie Murray and David Collins while Cloonan shaded an absorbing tussle with full back Stephen Lucey - although the Croom defender made the play of the match with a brave and last-ditch block on a goal-bound strike from Broderick just after half-time.
The introduction of Niall and Fergal Healy also added spice to the second-half Galway effort. The visitors only fully limbered up in the last 15 minutes, with the piercing speed of Hayes and Broderick stretching the Limerick rearguard and Cloonan providing a good target for the long, direct ball delivered by the defenders.
Although Seán O'Connor won his share of high ball against Shane Kavanagh, Limerick were increasingly squeezed for scoring options as the match went on.
Limerick's cause was not helped by early injuries to Denis Maloney and Brian Geary, both of whom had anchored the home defence for the first 20 minutes. Moloney won three of his first four balls against Damien Hayes but then appeared to wrench his hamstring racing for a low delivery, which Hayes snapped up and clipped over the bar as the Doon man writhed in pain.
With Geary also forced off, Limerick lost their early cohesion at the back and suffered against a more physical Galway effort in the second half. Their goal came on 11 minutes, when O'Connor threw a hurl at a long, low driven free sent in by Geary for a 1-2 to 0-3 lead.
With James O'Brien looking lively with two early points, it was a promising beginning but thereafter, Limerick struggled to find their range. Galway were disciplined enough not to allow Andrew O'Shaughnessy to rack up a handsome total through frees and the Kilmallock man was diligently shadowed first by Tony Óg Regan and finally by Collins, who made a lunging, important clearance to scoop the ball away from O'Shaughnessy when he at last found himself in front of goal in the 56th minute.
Two minutes later O'Shaughnessy drove a shot into the side netting.
But Limerick were beginning to labour by this point. Ollie Moran could not get motoring at centre forward, with John Lee particularly impressive over the last 20 minutes. The medical student is a solid customer and hurled coolly all afternoon.
"We were thrilled with his display," ventured Loughnane. "You don't like to make comparisons but he reminded me of another centre back I used to work with."
Praise doesn't come much higher.
Around the field, other Galway players were keen to impress. With the game balanced, Damien Hayes chased down the busy Damien Reale to block his clearance, retrieve possession and win an elementary free for Cloonan. That typified the hunger.
Limerick still only trailed by a point going into the last five minutes and had a half chance for another goal which Patrick Tobin snapped over the bar.
After a brief, unexpected free-for-all in front of the Mackey Stand which thrilled the 8,000-strong crowd - the perpetrators got off as referee Dermot Kirwan was felled by a nasty wrap on the ankle - Cloonan swivelled to land a fine point from play. With Galway flying now, Murray workmanlike all through, added the grace note.
GALWAY: A Ryan: D Joyce, S Kavanagh, T Óg Regan; D Forde, J Lee, D Collins (capt); D Tierney, R Murray (0-1); A Kerins (0-1), G Farragher, I Tannian; D Hayes (0-2), E Cloonan (0-9, five frees, one 65), K Broderick (0-2). Subs: N Healy (0-1) for Tierney (30 mins), F Healy (0-1) for Tannian inj (half-time), M Kerins for Farragher (half-time), D Hardiman for Regan (68 mins).
LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey (0-1, a 65), D Maloney; M O'Riordan, B Geary, P Lawlor; M O'Brien, D O'Grady; J V O'Brien (0-2), O Moran, M Fitzgerald; A O'Shaughnessy (0-4, frees), S O'Connor (1-0), C Fitzgerald (0-1). Subs: M O'Brien for Maloney inj (21 min), N Moran for O'Grady (42 mins), B Foley for M Fitzgerald (54 mins), P Tobin (0-1) for C Fitzgerald (65 mins).
Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).
