GOAL!!! for @KilkennyCLG by Colin Fennelly! pic.twitter.com/8PZmpgB1Lo — The GAA (@officialgaa) July 27, 2019 Finn was then shown a yellow card for a cynical foul on Reid moments later, with the Cats forward dusting himself down to split the posts with the resulting free. Gillane responded with a free in the 19th minute, reducing Kilkenny's lead to eight. Peter Casey and Mulcahy added to Limerick's tally, before Reid hit back with two more frees. Gillane converted frees either side of another Reid set piece, before Tom Morrissey contributed a fine effort from play. Gillane then scored another free before Limerick were awarded what looked like a soft penalty. Referee Alan Kelly signaled for a penalty after Lawlor grappled with Gillane under a high ball. The Limerick forward took the penalty himself, burying his driven effort past Murphy to make it a two-point game (1-11 to 1-9).
Aaron Gillane scores a rocket of a penalty for @LimerickCLG pic.twitter.com/D8fdyjUUL1 — The GAA (@officialgaa) July 27, 2019 Richie Hogan scored the final point of the half to give Kilkenny a three-point cushion - the least their dominance deserved - at the break. Fennelly scored the first point of the second half with Gillane soon cancelling the score out at the other end. Diarmaid Byrnes and Reid then traded frees before Gillane chipped in with another two points of his own. Gillane then cancelled out Adrian Mullen's point, with John Donnelly then striking for Kilkenny at the other end. Kilkenny went four clear before Limerick scored their second goal. Shane Dowling produced a wonderful improvised finish; batting the sliotar past Murphy to reduce Kilkenny's lead to two points.
Shane Dowling scores an incredible goal for @LimerickCLG to keep the side in the game! pic.twitter.com/A2swF1HWjX — The GAA (@officialgaa) July 27, 2019 David Reify added another score for Kiely's charges to make it a one-point game yet again. Five minutes of stoppage time were added on, and James Maher settled Kilkenny nerves by scoring a point. A minute later, Murphy made a crucial save to deny Reidy a certain goal, with Byrnes sending the resulting 65 over the bar. There was controversy in the dying seconds of the match as Darragh O'Donovan missed the chance to send the game to extra time by shooting his sideline cut wide. However, replays show that his effort took a deflection off a Kilkenny defender, and a 65 should have been awarded. The deflection wasn't spotted by officials, and Kilkenny held on to seal a momentous victory at Croke Park. Cody's Cats will now contest the final against the winners of Tipperary v Wexford.
Watch the Full-Time Highlights from @KilkennyCLG v @LimerickCLG in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final here! pic.twitter.com/wgxMcMwicR — The GAA (@officialgaa) July 27, 2019