The bad news began for Limerick manager Eamonn Cregan before the start of a match in Ballinasloe yesterday.
News filtered through that talented dual star and key centre back Brian Geary had been the victim of a stabbing incident in Limerick city centre on Saturday night.
He had, earlier in the day, played in the Munster under-21 football championship tie against Tipperary.
Concern for the player who received 28 stitches for his wounds overshadowed any thoughts of how the Limerick boss would arrange his defence against the league holders.
Dave Ryan was slotted into the centre back position and he was replaced by Clement Smyth at a time in the second half when the industry of the Galway attack began to weigh heavily on Limerick's resources.
"They (Galway) were a lot sharper, their forwards especially, and we were not able to cope," said Cregan. "We played alright for 40 minutes. Yes, Brian (Geary) was a big loss. It was an unfortunate incident but he is at home now."
There were rumblings that Gary Kirby was in the Limerick dug-out as an unlisted substitute. It transpired that the former star's presence was nothing more than wishful thinking as the visitors' attacking strengths continued to wilt.
Galway manager Noel Lane had reason to be pleased with his under-strength team's performance. "We fought for every ball and it paid off," he said.
During the opening spell, Limerick struck gold in the form of two snap goals by alert corner forwards James Butler and Barry Foley, the team captain.
These inspiring scores were followed by a major blow for Galway when their goalkeeper Kevin Devine saw his penalty attempt snuffed out by the combined efforts of counterpart Timmy Houlihan and TJ Ryan.
Limerick, who had failed to open their account until the eighth minute, had struggled more than the holders to gain the sort of composure that had enabled them to go into the match unbeaten since last summer.
Still, they trailed by only a single point, 2-4 to 0-11, at the end of a first half during which Galway had advantage of a diagonally blowing wind.
The real test mounted for the Munster men during the last quarter when scores in rapid succession, mainly by Galway players, was the order.
Limerick's midfield and defence had been bearing up well even though the necessary degree of inspiration from their front runners, as a forceful unit, had long since dried up.
David Tierney, who started at right half forward to accommodate the absence of full forward Mark Kerins, had been unusually quiet and ineffective, only a shadow of his real self, when he exploded on to the score-sheet with the game's most spectacular goal.
This score and the manner in which it was executed had a visibly demoralising effect on the whole Limerick side.
Alan Kerins was the provider of a well-measured centre which Tierney doubled from some 30 yards to rip the Limerick net.
Tierney's wonder score in the 24th minute of the second half pushed Galway's advantage from one to four points. "That score closed the door on us," admitted Cregan.
And the stylish Galway man was not finished, inflicting punishment on the increasingly overworked Limerick defence.
Minutes later, his deft centre made matters difficult for Limerick goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan who was beaten to the flick by Ollie Fahy for Galway's second goal to make it 218 to 2-12.
Galway: K Devine; F Gantley, M Healy, O Canning; D Hardiman, L Hodgins, C Moore (0- 1); D O'Brien, P Walsh (0-1); D Tierney (1-0), L Burke (0-7, three frees and 65), G Glynn; O Fahy (1-4), A Kerins (0-4), F Healy. Subs: N Linnane (0-1) for O'Brien (half-time), D Shaughnessy (0-1) for Healy (38 mins), N O'Shaughnessy for Gantley (68 mins).
Limerick: T Houlihan; S McDonagh, TJ Ryan, D Reale; J Foley (0-1), D Ryan, M Foley; M O'Brien, J Moran (0-1); P O'Grady, O Moran (0-2), M Keane (0-1 free); J Butler (1-1), B Begley, B Foley (1-5, one free and 65). Subs: S Meskell (0-1) for Keane (41 mins), C Smith for Ryan (53 mins), E O'Neill for O'Grady (62 mins), D Stapleton for Begley (70 mins).
Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).
