LOUGHREA RETAINED THEIR Galway SHC title when they edged out a St Thomas’ side who suffered their first-ever defeat in nine county final appearances.
Loughrea never trailed but were made sweat after failing to make the most of chances in a game where they were on top throughout in a game played in front of an official attendance of 4,200.
St Thomas’ opted to play against the breeze in the opening half and found themselves 0-11 to 0-6 up at the break with Loughrea getting off to a blistering start with points from Vince Morgan, Anthony Burns and Tiernan Killeen in the opening four minutes.
The standard of hurling was good despite the wet and windy conditions and St Thomas’, with five players starting who had featured in all eight previous county title wins and another five on the bench with the full haul, used all their experience to get into the game.
Conor Cooney got them off the mark with a point from play from 45 metres before captain Eanna Burke set up Darren Farrell for a point and cut the gap to 0-3 to 0-2 after nine minutes.
Burns, who finished the opening half with four points from play, swapped scores with Cooney before Ian Hanrahan and Burns made it double scores at 0-6 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter.
Loughrea, who had seven wides in the opening half with the wind, had a handful of goal chances but couldn’t convert against a St Thomas’ side who had only conceded one goal in their five games en route to the final.
Advertisement
Another Cooney free, won by Eanna Ryan, reduced the margin but Loughrea hit a good patch and led by 0-9 to 0-4 after 25 minutes with Darren Shaughnessy, Burns and Vince Morgan finding the range.
Farrell stemmed the flow with his second point but Loughrea led by five at the interval after Tiernan Killeen and Shane Morgan scored either side of Cooney’s third free for St Thomas’.
Two frees from Cooney cut the gap to a goal inside three minutes of the restart but then after a free for all involving almost two dozen players, Loughrea extended their lead with efforts from Tiernan Killeen and Shaughnessy.
Victor Manso became only the third St Thomas’ player to score when his point cut the gap to 0-13 to 0-9 after 43 minutes and Darragh Burke got the margin down to a goal going into the final quarter.
Loughrea should have wrapped it up but Vince Morgan hit the crossbar after bearing down on goal and then moments later he flashed another goal effort wide from a tight angle from close range.
The sides twice exchanged points before two more Cooney frees reduced the margin to 0-15 to 0-13 as the game went into the first of five minutes of stoppage time.
Then Loughrea finally found the net when Burns set up Darren Shaughnessy and he soloed through to blast home from the left.
But they were made sweat when Cooney landed a free and then blasted a free from 25 metres to the net in the final minute but Loughrea held on to retain their title.
In Saturday evening’s first round match in the Leinster club senior football championship, Portarlington of Laois were nine-point winners against Old Leighlin of Carlow, 1-12 to 0-6.
The Laois champions will now play Louth’s Naomh Mairtin in the quarter-finals on 16 November.
Scorers for Loughrea: Darren Shaughnessy 1-2, Anthony Burns 0-5, Tiernan Killeen 0-3 (0-2f), Shane Morgan 0-2f, Vince Morgan 0-2, Ian Hanrahan 0-1.
Scorers for St Thomas’: Conor Cooney 1-10 (1-9f), Darren Farrell 0-2, Victor Manso 0-1, Darragh Burke 0-1.
Loughrea
1. Gerald Loughnane
2. Paul Hoban, 3. Johnny Coen, 4. Kieran Hanrahan
5. Brian Keary, 6. Shane Morgan, 7. Joe Mooney
8. Ian Hanrahan (c), 9. Cullen Killeen
10. Caimin Killeen, 11. Tiernan Killeen, 12. Jamie Ryan
13. Anthony Burns, 14. Darren Shaughnessy, 23. Vince Morgan
Substitutes: 15. Martin McManus for Burns (18-20), McManus for Ryan (57), 22. Sean Sweeney for I Hanrahan (62), 19. Alan Kelly for Cullen Killeen (64). 21. Neil Keary for Burns (65).
St Thomas’
1. Gerald Kelly
31. Cian Mahony, 3. Fintan Burke, 4. John Headd
5. Evan Duggan, 6. Shane Cooney, 7. Conor Headd
8. David Burke, 9. Damien McGlynn
10. Darragh Burke, 11. Conor Cooney, 14. Eanna Burke (c)
13. Evan Brady, 12. Darren Farrell, 15. Victor Manso
Substitutes: 17. Cathal Burke for Duggan (46), 18. James Regan for McGlynn (46), 19. Damien Finnerty for Brady (57).
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
3 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Loughrea seal back-to-back Galway hurling titles after holding off late St Thomas' rally
Loughrea 1-15
St Thomas’ 1-14
LOUGHREA RETAINED THEIR Galway SHC title when they edged out a St Thomas’ side who suffered their first-ever defeat in nine county final appearances.
Loughrea never trailed but were made sweat after failing to make the most of chances in a game where they were on top throughout in a game played in front of an official attendance of 4,200.
St Thomas’ opted to play against the breeze in the opening half and found themselves 0-11 to 0-6 up at the break with Loughrea getting off to a blistering start with points from Vince Morgan, Anthony Burns and Tiernan Killeen in the opening four minutes.
The standard of hurling was good despite the wet and windy conditions and St Thomas’, with five players starting who had featured in all eight previous county title wins and another five on the bench with the full haul, used all their experience to get into the game.
Conor Cooney got them off the mark with a point from play from 45 metres before captain Eanna Burke set up Darren Farrell for a point and cut the gap to 0-3 to 0-2 after nine minutes.
Burns, who finished the opening half with four points from play, swapped scores with Cooney before Ian Hanrahan and Burns made it double scores at 0-6 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter.
Loughrea, who had seven wides in the opening half with the wind, had a handful of goal chances but couldn’t convert against a St Thomas’ side who had only conceded one goal in their five games en route to the final.
Another Cooney free, won by Eanna Ryan, reduced the margin but Loughrea hit a good patch and led by 0-9 to 0-4 after 25 minutes with Darren Shaughnessy, Burns and Vince Morgan finding the range.
Farrell stemmed the flow with his second point but Loughrea led by five at the interval after Tiernan Killeen and Shane Morgan scored either side of Cooney’s third free for St Thomas’.
Two frees from Cooney cut the gap to a goal inside three minutes of the restart but then after a free for all involving almost two dozen players, Loughrea extended their lead with efforts from Tiernan Killeen and Shaughnessy.
Victor Manso became only the third St Thomas’ player to score when his point cut the gap to 0-13 to 0-9 after 43 minutes and Darragh Burke got the margin down to a goal going into the final quarter.
Loughrea should have wrapped it up but Vince Morgan hit the crossbar after bearing down on goal and then moments later he flashed another goal effort wide from a tight angle from close range.
The sides twice exchanged points before two more Cooney frees reduced the margin to 0-15 to 0-13 as the game went into the first of five minutes of stoppage time.
Then Loughrea finally found the net when Burns set up Darren Shaughnessy and he soloed through to blast home from the left.
But they were made sweat when Cooney landed a free and then blasted a free from 25 metres to the net in the final minute but Loughrea held on to retain their title.
In Saturday evening’s first round match in the Leinster club senior football championship, Portarlington of Laois were nine-point winners against Old Leighlin of Carlow, 1-12 to 0-6.
The Laois champions will now play Louth’s Naomh Mairtin in the quarter-finals on 16 November.
Scorers for Loughrea: Darren Shaughnessy 1-2, Anthony Burns 0-5, Tiernan Killeen 0-3 (0-2f), Shane Morgan 0-2f, Vince Morgan 0-2, Ian Hanrahan 0-1.
Scorers for St Thomas’: Conor Cooney 1-10 (1-9f), Darren Farrell 0-2, Victor Manso 0-1, Darragh Burke 0-1.
Loughrea
1. Gerald Loughnane
2. Paul Hoban, 3. Johnny Coen, 4. Kieran Hanrahan
5. Brian Keary, 6. Shane Morgan, 7. Joe Mooney
8. Ian Hanrahan (c), 9. Cullen Killeen
10. Caimin Killeen, 11. Tiernan Killeen, 12. Jamie Ryan
13. Anthony Burns, 14. Darren Shaughnessy, 23. Vince Morgan
Substitutes: 15. Martin McManus for Burns (18-20), McManus for Ryan (57), 22. Sean Sweeney for I Hanrahan (62), 19. Alan Kelly for Cullen Killeen (64). 21. Neil Keary for Burns (65).
St Thomas’
1. Gerald Kelly
31. Cian Mahony, 3. Fintan Burke, 4. John Headd
5. Evan Duggan, 6. Shane Cooney, 7. Conor Headd
8. David Burke, 9. Damien McGlynn
10. Darragh Burke, 11. Conor Cooney, 14. Eanna Burke (c)
13. Evan Brady, 12. Darren Farrell, 15. Victor Manso
Substitutes: 17. Cathal Burke for Duggan (46), 18. James Regan for McGlynn (46), 19. Damien Finnerty for Brady (57).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Killimor).
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
GAA Galway SHC Hurling