Galway 2-20
Limerick 1-18

Joe Canning scored 1-8 as a very young Galway team defeated Limerick in this SH challenge in Athenry on Saturday evening.

Canning led by example on a day when Tribe boss Anthony Cunningham used no fewer than 21 of last year's All-Ireland U21 winners. The home side led by 0-13 to 0-7 at the break and they tightened their grip on proceedings five minutes after the restart when Canning drilled a 25-metre free to the net.

Galway then proceeded to ring the changes and this allowed Limerick to battle their way back into it thanks to points from Paul Browne, Conor Allis, Thomas O'Brien and Niall Moran. Substitute James Regan then registered Galway's second goal, but Limerick - who face Tipperary in the Munster SHC in three weeks' time - battled on and were rewarded with a Tommy Quaid goal in stoppage-time.

Scorers - Galway: J Canning (1-8, 6fs); J Regan (1-0); A Smith (0-2); P Brehnoy (0-2); S Molloy (0-2); N Burke (0-2, 1f); R Cummins (0-1); D Glennon (0-1); T Og Regan (0-1); N Quinn (0-1). Limerick: C Allis (0-6, 5fs); P Browne (0-4); T Quaid (1-1); P O'Brien (0-2); S Tobin (0-1); J Ryan (0-1); N Moran (0-1); T O'Brien (0-1); D Breen (0-1).

GALWAY: F Flannery; D Connolly, K Hynes, G O'Halloran; P Gordon, T Og Regan, I Tannian; A Smith, B Flaherty; P Brehony, J Glynn, C Cooney; R Cummins, J Canning, D Glennon. Subs: J Ryan for Flannery, (ht); D Fox forTannian, (ht); S Molloy for Glennon, (ht); N Quinn for Cooney, (ht); B Burke for Glynn, (ht); N Burke for Brehony, (ht); N Donoghue for T Og Regan, (ht); C Burke for O'Halloran, (47); P Huban for Connolly, (47); J Coen for Flaherty, (49); J Regan for Cummins, (60); F Moore for Hynes, (60); C Donnellan for Smith, (65); D Burke for Canning, (65).

LIMERICK: N Quiad; S Walsh, R McCarthy, S Hickey; W McNamara, D O'Grady, T Ryan; J Ryan, P Browne; S O'Brien, N Maher, C Allis; G Mulcahy, N Moran, S Tobin. Subs: B Geary for McCarthy, (ht); D Breen for S O'Brien, (ht); P O'Brien for McNamara, (ht); T O'Brien for J Ryan, (ht); G O'Mahony for Maher, (ht); T Condon for Walsh, (ht); T Quaid for Tobin, (61); M Carmody for Moran, (61); D O'Mahony for T Ryan, (61).

Referee: John Keane (Galway). Tweet

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