Galway SHC: Brilliant Burke proves the inspiration for St Thomas’

By Declan Rooney

2016 champions St Thomas’ sealed their place in the quarter-final of the Galway SHC after a convincing nine-point win over record winners Castlegar, with Darragh Burke on song.

Also into the last eight are defending champions Liam Mellows, Loughrea and Sarsfields, while Castlegar, Tommy Larkins, Cappataggle, last years’ runners-up Gort, Turloughmore and Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry have worked their way into the preliminary quarter-final.

St Thomas’ took the steps towards this win in the first half when Brendan Farrell’s 15th minute goal put his side four points ahead, but they added to that lead for a 1-11 to 0-6 ahead at half-time.

The scoring rate slowed in the second period, but with David Burke making an appearance off the bench and captain Conor Cooney finding range late on, St Thomas’ eased to a 1-19 to 0-13 victory.

A Noel Kelly goal was not enough for Sarsfields to clinch victory as Donal Mannion’s added-time leveller clinched a point and sent the 2015 winners into the last eight. Ten points from Niall Morrissey kept Sarsfields in touch while Dan Nevin impressed with six points for Cappataggle in the 0-16 to 1-13 draw.

A 64th minute free from Jamie Ryan gave Loughrea the 2-14 to 1-16 win over Gort and secured their automatic slot in the quarter-finals.

Michael Mullins’s second-minute goal was cancelled out when Joseph Money flicked to the net, but five in a row put Gort ahead by seven at the break. Loughrea hit back with seven in a row to level matters before Aidan Helebert finally pointed for Gort, but Martin McManus’s goal seven minutes from time was key for the winners.

Champions Liam Mellows recovered from a one-point half-time deficit to win by five against Kilnadeema-Leitrim.

Brian Molloy inspired a fine comeback for Kilnadeema-Leitrim before half-time when they delivered a seven-point swing to take a 1-8 to 1-7 interval lead, but they were unable to stay with the city club after the restart. Mellows ran out 2-18 to 1-16 winners with Conor Kavanagh twice finding the net for the champions.

A shootout between Cathal Dervan and Joe Canning ended up in a win for Mullagh on a 1-21 to 1-20 scoreline as the four-time All-Ireland champions crashed out and face a relegation play-off.

Portumna played 54 minutes of this game with 14 players after Eoin Lynch picked up two yellow cards, but despite a Cathal Dervan goal they only trailed by one at the interval.

A long-range goal from Ronan O’Meara lifted Portumna, but with Davy Glennon on song, hitting five points, Mullagh reclaimed the lead, while Dervan finished off the job with two late frees as Canning hit 14 for Portumna.

Goals from Conor Gardiner and Ronan Murphy were vital for Tommy Larkins as they edged past Craughwell on a 2-16 to 2-13 scoreline. Stephen Hynes’s goal meant Craughwell only trailed by 2-8 to 1-7 at half-time, and Fergal Healy also found the net, but with Jason and Colm Flynn in form Larkins reached the knock-out stages.