Limerick v Galway Prediction, Preview & Odds – All-Ireland Semi-Final

We have a Limerick v Galway prediction for you plus all the betting odds ahead of this Saturday’s All-Ireland Hurling semi-final.

Limerick v Galway Match Info

When? 6pm, Saturday, July 8th

Where? Croke Park, Dublin

TV Channel? RTÉ 2

Limerick v Galway Preview

Limerick’s Path To The Semi-Final

Munster Championship Round Robin

Waterford 0-19 Limerick 1-18 | Semple Stadium, Tipperary

Limerick 2-20 Clare 1-24 | Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Tipperary 0-25 Limerick 0-25 | Semple Stadium, Tipperary

Limerick 3-25 Cork 1-30 | Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Munster Hurling Championship Final

Clare 1-22 Limerick 1-23 | Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Limerick’s Form

Limerick have not been the typical Limerick so far this Championship season. They haven’t dominated opponents on their path to this year’s All-Ireland semi-final. However, despite not playing their best hurling they find themselves as Munster Champions once again.

Perhaps that is all you need to know about how good this Limerick team is; even without their best stuff they are still the best team in the land.

They were close to being knocked out of this year’s Championship early and had the sliotar bounced differently against Cork in the Gaelic Grounds then we might just be writing post mortems rather than semi-final previews. Limerick, as they always seem to, did just enough to get over the line that day.

It was a similar case in the Munster Final against Clare, a team that had already beaten them in the round robin stage of the Munster Championship. If Clare had their shooting hurls with them then they could well have beaten the Treaty County in that Munster Final.

So, How’s The Form?

By Limerick’s highest of standards the form is a little bit shaky. If we’re being honest, the Treaty County look like they are beatable this year (they’ve already lost to Clare). However, their experience and know-how in the dying minutes of games has consistently seen them do just enough to get over the finish line.

Galway’s Path To The Final

Leinster Championship Round Robin

Galway 0-24 Wexford 2-12 | Pearse Stadium, Galway

Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25 | Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Westmeath 0-17 Galway 6-33 | Cusack Park, Westmeath

Galway 5-29 Antrim 1-22 | Pearse Stadium, Galway

Dublin 2-22 Galway 1-25 | Croke Park, Dublin

Leinster Hurling Championship Final

Kilkenny 4-21 Galway 2-26 | Croke Park, Dublin

All-Ireland Hurling Quarter-Final

Galway 1-20 Tipperary 1-18 | Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Galway’s Form

Galway have built on a strong 2022 Championship campaign under manager Henry Shefflin with an impressive showing so far this year. The Tribesmen performed well in Division 1A of the National League in this spring to keep their spot in the top division with a third place finish.

The Leinster Championship was quite weak this year with teams like Wexford and Dublin not up to the standard we’ve seen from them in previous years. Galway did what they needed to by going unbeaten on their path to booking a Leinster Final spot.

In truth, Galway did everything required of them to topple Kilkenny that day and win this year’s Leinster Championship. If it weren’t for some panic defending in the dying moments they would have won but Kilkenny, in typical Kilkenny fashion, were able to capitalise on the panic by scoring a last gasp goal which sent Galway into a quarter-final tie with Tipperary.

Galway looked a much better team than Tipp in that fixture although they only won by 2-points in the end. Were it not for some terrible shooting from the Tribesmen (18 wides) the game could have been over by half-time.

So, How’s The Form?

The form is promising for Galway heading into this game against Limerick. That quarter-final win against Tipperary will have them full of confidence while also knowing that they have a lot of room for improvement.

Key Players To Watch

Diarmaid Byrnes

Limerick defender Diarmaid Byrnes has been the leading light for his county in this year’s Championship. If it weren’t for his man-of-the-match performance against Cork it’s likely that the Treaty County would be knocked out of the Championship at the round robin stage of the Munster Championship.

The Patrickswell man lines up for his county from the wing-back position where he is keen to get involved in the attack at every opportunity. In fact, Byrnes became the highest scoring defender in the history of hurling a few weeks ago against Cork Cork after putting 1-04 on the scoreboard to help get Limerick across the line by the narrowest of margins.

This Limerick team is one of the most talented that we’ve ever seen set foot on a gaelic pitch, perhaps the most talented, and the extra attacking option they get from the half-back line in Byrnes almost makes it unfair for the opposition.

Daithi Burke

During their league campaign the strength of the Galway team was in their defence with the third-best one in their group conceding a total of 112 points for an average of 22.4 points per match.

A large part of that defensive performance can be attributed to captain and rock-hard Galway Full-Back Daithi Burke! Burke was helpless to the Kilkenny goal glut in the Leinster Final but will be hoping that is just a once off for the season.

The Turloughmore man is the key cog in this Galway defence and if Galway are to have any chance of pulling off the upset this Saturday evening then a big performance from him will be needed.

Limerick v Galway Head-To-Head Results

Galway 0-19 Limerick 0-24 | 2023 National Hurling League

Limerick 0-27 Galway 1-21 | 2022 All-Ireland Semi-Final

Limerick 1-18 Galway 0-27 | 2022 National Hurling League

Galway 0-26 Limerick 1-17 | 2021 National Hurling League

Limerick 0-27 Galway 0-24 | 2020 All-Ireland Semi-Final

Limerick v Galway Betting Odds

Limerick – 4/9

Galway – 5/2

The Draw – 15/2

The Handicap: Limerick -3 @ 10/11

Limerick go into this game as commanding favourites at odds of 4/9 in the match betting. Galway can’t be counted out as underdogs at odds of 5/2.

The handicap of 3 points suggests that Galway have every chance of keeping this game close although winning it outright will be a much taller task of course.

Limerick v Galway Prediction & Best Bet

Prediction: Limerick 0-26 Galway 1-22

I expect this game to play out like most of Limerick’s games this year and previous games between these two counties. Tight all the way until the end but Limerick do just enough in the final minutes to get over the line.

Best Bet: Galway +3 & Under 2.5 Match Goals

The winner of Limerick v Galway will go on to face either Kilkenny or Clare in the All-Ireland Final. You can check out each of the remaining team’s chances of winning Liam MacCarthy in our All-Ireland Hurling Odds post.

Click Below For All Our Limerick v Galway Odds

*Prices subject to fluctuation

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