Loughrea 1-15 St Thomas’ 1-14
Darren Shaughnessy was the hero for Loughrea when his late goal wrapped up victory as they retained their Galway SHC title in difficult conditions at Pearse Stadium.
His goal put the champions five points in front but St Thomas’, who had won all previous eight finals, made them sweat all the way when Conor Cooney struck 1-1 from frees in the dying minutes 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 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.
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Cooney got them off the mark with a point from play from 45 metres before captain Éanna 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 to the final.
Another Cooney free, won by Éanna Ryan, reduced the margin but Loughrea hit a good patch and led by 0-9 to 0-4 after 25 minutes with 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 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.
LOUGHREA: G Loughnane; P Hoban, J Coen, K Hanrahan; B Keary, S Morgan (0-2, 2f), J Mooney; I Hanrahan (0-1), Cullen Killeen; Caimin Killeen, T Killeen (0-3, 2f), J Ryan; A Burns (0-5), D Shaughnessy (1-2), V Morgan (0-2).
Subs: M McManus for Burns (18-20 mins); McManus for Ryan (57); S Sweeney for I Hanrahan (62); A Kelly for Cullen Killeen (64); N Keary for Burns (65).
ST THOMAS’: G Kelly; C Mahony, F Burke, J Headd; E Duggan, S Cooney, C Headd; David Burke, D McGlynn; Darragh Burke (0-1), C Cooney (1-10, 1-9f), E Burke; E Brady, D Farrell (0-2), V Manso (0-1).
Subs: C Burke for Duggan, J Regan for McGlynn (both 46 mins); D Finnerty for Brady (57).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Killimor).
