AFTER BOOKING A place in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day with Saturday afternoon’s All-Ireland semi-final win, Galway champions St Thomas last night discovered who they will face in their own county senior championship in 2019.
That victory in Parnell Park over Antrim’s Cushendall propelled St Thomas into an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks on 17 March. It will mark their second final appearance after a maiden final victory in 2013 over Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey.
After that campaign concludes, St Thomas will switch their focus back to local matters with the senior hurling draws made in Galway last night for this year’s action.
St Thomas are pitted in their group with Liam Mellows, the 2017 title winners who they defeated in last year’s county decider, and 2013 champions Portumna. Turloughmore, Tommy Larkins and Castlegar complete that group.
The other group in the A championship in Galway will include 2015 winners Sarsfields and 2014 kingpins Gort, along with semi-finalists from the last two years Capptaggle.
The Galway championship system also incorporates a senior B championship whereby three teams from each group progress to the knockout stages with four teams qualifying from the A championship.
Oranmore-Maree, who triumphed in the All-Ireland intermediate club decider in Croke Park on Sunday, will be in Group 1 of that senior stage along with former winners Athenry and 2015 finalists Craughwell.
Here are the draws in full:
Galway Senior A Hurling Championship Draw
Group One
- Portumna
- Turloughmore
- Liam Mellows
- St Thomas
- Tommy Larkins
- Castlegar
Group Two
- Kilnadeema/Leitrim
- Gort
- Loughrea
- Tynagh Abbey-Duniry
- Cappataggle
- Sarsfields
Galway Senior B Hurling Championship Draw
Group One
- Craughwell
- Oranmore-Maree
- Ahascragh-Fohenagh
- Padraig Pearses
- Athenry
- Beagh
Group Two
- Ballindereen
- Killimordaly
- Abbeyknockmoy
- Ardrahan
- Mullagh
- Clarinbridge
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