St Thomas’ consigned to relegation play-off

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.

A late rally was not enough for John Burke’s side — who are trained by former Clare All Star Colin Lynch — as they hit the last five points of the game in the closing stages, but still lost out by 0-22 to 1-17 at Athenry and are now out of the Galway title race.

St Thomas’ now join another two other All-Ireland champions, Kiltormer and Castlegar in the relegation play-offs along with Kinvara, Padraig Pearses and Liam Mellows, while Craughwell have qualified for the group stages of the competition, where they will meet Beagh, Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry and next weekend’s opponents Turloughmore.

With county panellists Conor Cooney, David Burke and Darragh Burke to call on, St Thomas’ were expected to secure their place in Group C, but a storming first-half from Craughwell saw them lead 0-15 to 1-8 at the break.

Indeed, only for Cooney’s goal from a 20-metre free midway through the half, St Thomas’ would have been further adrift at the interval.

But Craughwell continued to dominate in the third quarter and opened out a 0-22 to 1-12 lead with eight minutes remaining with Niall Healy to the fore with a 13-point haul.

Cooney — who landed 1-11 in total — continued to pick off the points for St Thomas’ as the 2012 champions ratcheted up their efforts late on, but the full-time whistle called a halt to their charge and consigned them to a desperate relegation fight.