Galway SHC: Sensational St Thomas' thrown down the gauntlet with 26-point win

Gort, Clarinbridge, and Craughwell will all hope to avoid the champions in the semi-final draw

Sun, 24 Oct, 2021 - 18:24

John Fallon

St Thomas’ made it clear they are bang on course for a fourth Galway SHC title in a row when they hammered Kilconieron by 26 points in the quarter-finals.

Gort, Clarinbridge, and Craughwell will all hope to avoid the champions in the draw as St Thomas’ bid to string four in a row for the first time in Galway since Turloughmore won six on the spin in the 1960s.

Since then Athenry and Portumna have achieved the three-in-a-row, a feat achieved by St Thomas’ last year, and their 3-29 to 1-9 win over Kilconieron at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe shows they are again hitting top form at the business end of the championship.

Conor Cooney shot 1-16 for the champions, who led 1-14 to 1-7 at the break. Any hopes Kilconieron, who lost Martin Ryan to a serious injury which led to a lengthy delay, had of taking a step towards a first title since they won their third 102 years ago, were dispelled after the break.

Eanna Burke sent out timely notice of his ability to new Galway manager Henry Shefflin with a haul of 1-7 from play, all but a point of it coming after the interval, while brother Darragh also found the net.

Gort, managed by former Galway boss Mattie Murphy, ensured Cappataggle’s quest for a first final appearance after losing in the semi-finals for the past four years, still goes on as Aidan Helebert pointed the way in a 0-19 to 0-18 success.

Helebert hit 0-11 for Gort at Pearse Stadium, his accuracy in the opening half helping them lead by 0-11 to 0-10.

Liam Collins, the 2021 All-Ireland minor hurler of the year, kept Cappataggle in the hunt with a haul of 10 points, but Gort always managed to keep their noses in front, pulling three clear going into seven minutes of stoppage time and then holding off a rally from Cappataggle.

Tommy Larkins, hoping to crown the 50th anniversary of their sole Galway title by getting back into the final for only the second time, bowed out to Clarinbridge on a 1-17 to 1-12 scoreline.

A goal after just 15 seconds from Cian Salmon provided a perfect platform for Clarinbridge and they led by 1-8 to 0-7 at the interval.

Tommy Larkins rallied and Jason Flynn, who finished with 1-9, got his only score from play when he fired home a goal. But Clarinbridge, with county player Evan Niland hitting 0-11, nine of them from frees, never looked like being caught as they took another step towards the first crown since they lifted the title for the second time in 2010.

Craughwell, without a title since they won it in 1930, also advanced to the last four with an impressive 0-27 to 0-9 win over Kilnadeema-Leitrim. They laid the foundation for their victory in the opening half when they built up a 0-16 to 0-4 lead.

Managed by outgoing Galway minor manager Brian Hanley, a contender for the senior job until Shefflin got it, Craughwell continued on top in the second-half and picked off some excellent points.

Brian Molloy pulled back a brace of frees for Kilnadeema-Leitrim but Craughwell responded with three in a row, including a fifth from play by Adam Clarke, and any hopes of a comeback faded when Molloy had a penalty saved by Dara Gilligan at the end of the third quarter.

Former Galway forward Niall Healy finished with a haul of 0-9, six of them from frees, as Craughwell marched on.