Galway SHC Final

St Thomas' 2-12 Turloughmore 1-13

By Billy Coss at Pearse Stadium

Éanna Burke’s second goal deep in added time was the moment of coronation as St Thomas' captured their eighth Galway Senior Hurling Championship crown and matched opponents Turloughmore’s historic six in-a-row feats of the 1960s.

Conor Cooney, captain throughout the club’s remarkable unbroken run of local dominance, accepted the Tom Callanan Cup and powerhouse full-back Fintan Burke the man of the match award as the Peterswell-Kilchreest-Castledaly men maintained their flawless county final record.  

Level entering the final quarter, Turloughmore had battled back and were firmly in contention for a first title since 1985. However, a point-scoring burst from Conor Cooney and Éanna Burke, St Thomas’ chief marksmen all campaign, created separation before Cooney supplied Burke to net the day’s key score six minutes into injury-time.

There was still time for Galway captain Daithí Burke to drill a close-range free to the net in reply, but time ran out on Turlough’s challenge in front of an attendance of 7,148 in Salthill.

Thomas' had struck the opening four points of the game through brothers Shane and Conor Cooney, either side of a brace from Darragh Burke.

Their opening goal was finished by Éanna Burke after skillfully taking down a Damien Finnerty delivery and flashing home a groundstroke via the post on 14 minutes.

That 1-4 to 0-1 lead would be pegged back to 1-6 to 0-8 by the interval. Normally so reliable on placed balls, Conor Cooney’s radar was off for a spell and though Victor Manso pointed twice for Thomas’, Turlough’ edged ever closer thanks to Conor Walsh’s free-taking accuracy, two from Sean O'Hanlon, as well as a trio of injury-time points from Jamie Holland, Matthew Tarpey and Cillian Whelan.

Walsh and O’Hanlon made it five points in-a-row to nudge the challengers ahead for the first time on 33 minutes. Conor Cooney and Oisín Flannery points for Thomas’ were answered by Walsh as the sides traded on terms, 1-8 to 0-11, by the three-quarter mark.

As they’ve done so often in modern times, Thomas’ came up trumps down the home straight. Centre-back Shane Cooney added his second point of the final, Éanna Burke hit two in quick succession and Conor Cooney another to leave it 1-12 to 0-11 entering six minutes of added time.

Turlough’ rallied with Conor Walsh’s sixth free and the same player also forced St. Thomas’ keeper Gerald Kelly into a sharp save, diverting the sliotar over his crossbar.

The key moment would arrive in the next passage of play. Conor Cooney won a turnover deep inside enemy territory and set Éanna Burke free to bring his tally to 2-2 and put the seal on another famous day for Thomas’ despite Turlough’s last-gasp consolation from Daithí Burke.

Scorers for St. Thomas’: Éanna Burke 2-2, Conor Cooney 0-3 (2fs), Darragh Burke 0-2, Victor Manso 0-2, Shane Cooney 0-2, Oisín Flannery 0-1.

Scorers for Turloughmore: Conor Walsh 0-7 (6fs), Sean O'Hanlon 0-3, Daithí Burke 1-0 (f), Jamie Holland 0-1, Matthew Tarpey 0-1, Cillian Whelan 0-1.

St. Thomas’: Gerald Kelly; Cian Mahony, Fintan Burke, David Sherry; John Headd, Shane Cooney, Cathal Burke; James Regan, Damien Finnerty; Evan Duggan, Conor Cooney, Darragh Burke; Victor Manso, Éanna Burke, Oisín Flannery.

Subs: Damien McGlynn for Manso (50), David Burke for Duggan (55), Bernard Burke for Darragh Burke (59), Conor Headd for Cathal Burke (60+1), Evan Brady for John Headd (60+5).

Turloughmore: Darragh Walsh; Dara Whelan, Ronan Burke, Mark Murphy; Vincent Doyle, Daithí Burke, Daniel Loftus; Sean Linnane, Tom Quirke; Sean O'Hanlon, Jamie Holland, Cillian Whelan; Conor Walsh, Brendan Phelan, Matthew Tarpey.

Subs: Sean Loftus for Phelan (46), Bríon Connolly for Tarpey (57), Conor Shaughnessy for Quirke (60+3), Michael Morris for Doyle (60+4).

Referee: Liam Gordon.