Borris-Ileigh manager Johnny Kelly hailed the character of his young team as they overcame their nerves to see off St Thomas’ in style.

In time, this may be revered in North Tipperary as The Battle of Broken Hurley but Borris-Ileigh have no time to reflect right now as a first All-Ireland final in 33 years awaits them on Sunday week.

Maher scored a stunning late point with a broken hurley as Borris-Ileigh finished stronger.

Fintan Burke looks set to follow his cousin David Burke into the Galway senior team and the strength and resilience he will bring has been illustrated by his remarkable recovery from a cruciate injury on St Patrick’s Day to help inspire St Thomas’ to their third county title in four years on Sunday.

Trailing by 0-11 to 0-7 at the break, Thomas’ won the second period by 1-6 to 0-3, but it wasn’t until the final 12 minutes of the half that the Thomas’ display really sparked to life.

A Tommy Larkins side who won their only Galway SHC title back in 1971 will bid to dethrone the reigning champions St Thomas’ in the quarter-finals of this year’s title race.

Galway hurlers have received a timely boost with Joseph Cooney marking his return from Australia by turning in a superb performance for his club Sarsfields at the weekend.

Three of Mayo’s previous management team have now linked up with rivals of the recently-crowned Division 1 champions.

Galway boss Micheal Donoghue will face a sweat over the fitness of another All Star as Conor Cooney left the field on crutches, on an awful weekend for St Thomas’.

Colin Fennelly has often been accused of performance-inconsistency in the past.

What a dire weekend for GAA attendances. Kerry-Mayo in Austin Stack Park was obviously an exception but across the country there was evidence of supporters preferring to do something else with their Bank Holiday weekend.

“Whatever it was, I wish we could have bottled it,” Liam Fennelly says.

Ballyhale Shamrocks weren’t exactly listing dangerously when Henry Shefflin took control of the bridge.

St Thomas’ boss Kevin Lally reckons Henry Shefflin is destined for the Kilkenny manager’s hotseat after guiding Ballyhale Shamrocks to the All-Ireland Club final at the first attempt.

Conor Cooney has warned that rural Ireland is on “it’s last legs’” and called on the GAA to play its part in addressing the crisis by investing more in clubs that are struggling for numbers, resources and, in too many cases, their very lives.

Three years now since Liam MacCarthy last wintered in Noreside but Joey Holden insists Kilkenny remain within touching distance of those seeking to provide a home for hurling’s Holy Grail.

The Galway senior hurlers will be aiming to lean on Kieran ‘Star’ Donaghy’s basketball expertise as much as his experience of big football days, according to forward Conor Cooney.

That Tipperary have only one league win from three outings is not a concern for Liam Sheedy.

In a game like this, the inches all count.

Members of the Burke family will leave south Galway this weekend and head to two different north Dublin destinations with similar goals and aspirations in mind.

NUIG manager Jeff Lynskey was thrilled as the Galway college sent holders UL crashing out of the Fitzgibbon Cup to create a Group A decider against UCC.

St Thomas’ claimed their third Galway SHC title with the largest winning margin in nine seasons as Darragh Burke inspired them to a memorable victory at Pearse Stadium.

A little over a week out from the Dublin county final with Kilmacud Crokes, Anthony Daly sat down with reporters for over half an hour and talked hurling.

Reigning Galway SHC champions Liam Mellows will face Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry in the quarter-finals this year.

It was the Tuesday evening after Galway’s All-Ireland final win that the magnitude of their achievement finally registered with Conor Cooney.

Conor Cooney didn’t take 2012 very well.

When Gary Brennan tries to describe his relationship with hurling and this magical, unlikely journey he and Ballyea have found themselves on, he’ll often break into a light laugh.

St Thomas 1-11 Gort 0-10: St Thomas manager John Burke insisted that his side have what it takes to go all the way to All-Ireland glory for the second time, after they were deserving winners of the Galway SHC title yesterday.

Galway’s leading GAA official wants Anthony Cunningham to stay in charge of the senior hurlers and try to end the county’s All-Ireland famine next year.

John Fahey was present at the Convention Centre when David Burke’s name was called out at left corner-forward on the 2012 All Star team.

Limerick scored a six-point win over Galway to progress to a first All-Ireland U21 hurling final since 2002.

The intensity of Galway’s performance in Croke Park on Sunday was evident throughout their one-point victory over Tipperary.

Galway hurlers could be on the verge of a surprise boost in the next two weeks with Conor Cooney back doing light training following his broken foot.

Former Galway manager John McIntyre has predicted that his successor Anthony Cunningham is unlikely to remain in charge of the Tribesmen for much longer.

Last year’s All-Ireland club hurling champions, St Thomas’, face a relegation play-off in the Galway SHC after defeat to Craughwell over the weekend.

Galway hurler Joe Canning believes their failure to translate club success onto the inter-county stage has been "blown out of proportion".