Limerick defeated Galway on a scoreline of 1-27 to 0-18 on Saturday
Limerick were close to being back to their best as they beat Galway in emphatic fashion at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday, March 8. The sixth-round clash of the Allianz League ended with a scoreline of 1-27 to 0-18 and Limerick Voice Reporter Paul Hough explores what went right for the 2023 All-Ireland champions.
Efficiency
Throughout the game, Limerick were ruthless with their scoring prowess as they managed to convert “65% out of the 43 opportunities they created”, Matthew Hurley of the Gaelic Statsman explained. Limerick’s chance conversion is usually 65-70% so this statistic showed they were very close to operating at their peak.
Winning in midfield
Limerick winning the midfield battle was a big reason why they came out on top in this fixture. Matthew Hurley explains that Limerick had won “65% of their own puckouts while winning 48% of Galway’s puckouts”. These statistics would set up any team with a great chance of victory. Limerick were dominant all over the field, but the midfield is where it stemmed from.
Spreading the wealth
10 of the starting 15 for Limerick ended the game on the scoresheet. If you compare this figure to the Galway team where they only had four, it shows that Limerick had a much better team performance. Any game where you can get two-thirds of your starters to score will put you in a great place to win a game.
Impact subs
David Reidy and Peter Casey made impactful appearances off the bench – scoring one point each. This game was all but won at the time they had entered the field but any time you can have substitutes contribute is a positive going forward. Peter Casey returned from injury for the first time in 11 months after his horrific injury against Tipperary.
Dominance in play
John Kiely, Manager of Limerick, repeatedly emphasises the need for his team to score 30 points to ensure victory. His side reached this figure against Galway and would run out 12-point winners. Matthew Hurley stated this Limerick victory felt like more than a 12-point win, saying “It was a demolition”.
The win boosted Limerick’s chances of reaching the league final. They will now travel to Nowlan Park to face Kilkenny in round seven of the Allianz Hurling League next Sunday.