Sport

All-Ireland roundup: Limerick and Kilkenny booked their place in the All-Ireland final this weekend

Limerick 0-27 Galway 1-21

This weekend both Limerick and Kilkenny reached the All-Ireland final after two thrilling semi-finals in Croke Park.

Limerick reached their third final in a row after overcoming Galway 0-27 1-21 on Sunday.

Aaron Gillane scored 8 points from play and two frees on a day, where the All Ireland Champions were made to sweat on more than one occasion.

Brian Concannon's 37th minute goal put Galway ahead, but Limerick showed why they were All-Ireland champions with a late surge away from the Tribesman.

David Reidy scored three points from the bench to seal a final date with Kilkenny on July 17th for the All-Ireland crown.

Speaking after John Kiely reflected on the 2019 semi-final, where Limerick lost 1-21 to 2-17 to Kilkenny, and said: “All we're worried about is the game this day two weeks. The game that you're referring to was three years ago. We can't change the past, by God we can influence the future.

“So yeah, we'll be going after our preparation to make sure that we're the best team we can be in two weeks’ time.”

Kyle Hayes of Limerick in action against Galway’s Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion and Padraic Mannion (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Clare 0-20 Kilkenny 2-26

Kilkenny had an easier passage to the final after comfortably beating Clare on Saturday.

Brian Cody's men led by 14 points at the break and that gave Clare a mountain to climb on the day.

Clare's misery would be compounded even more, when Martin Keoghan tried to bat the sliotar past Éibhear Quilligan. Keoghan tapped into an empty net to score the Cats first goal

Cian Kenny made it two shortly after, before Clare rallied back but it was not enough on a day where Kilkenny came to life in the All-Ireland Championship.

Head coach Brian Cody said he was delighted to see Kilkenny banish their semi-final hoodoo. His side lost All-Ireland semi-finals to Waterford and Cork in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

"I'd say that would be in any real genuine sportspeople's minds at all times. You remember like we were here last year we didn't win it, we were here the year before," Cody said.

"Everybody wants to get to the All-Ireland final and of course I would say in everybody's mind and everybody's heart, they would be saying, 'Look lads, we can't afford this to happen again'. Because it's a tough feeling when you do lose it."

Adding on what it means, Cody said,

'We'd crawl to Dublin tomorrow again to play it if we had to, to be honest with you. That's what the All-Ireland means.'