Galway SHC: St Thomas' get title defence off to impressive start

GOAL SCORER: Conor Cooney of Galway found the net for St Thomas' as they got the defence of their title off to an impressive start. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

St Thomas’, chasing a fifth Galway SHC title in a row, got the defence of their crown off to an impressive start when they defeated Sarsfields by 2-25 to 3-19 in a cracking game at Athenry.

The sides were deadlocked at 0-12 to 1-9 at the break after Kevin Cooney got the first of his two goals for Sarsfields, but Conor Cooney and Damian McGlynn hit the net in the third quarter for the champions. Alex Connaire and Cooney’s second goal kept Sarsfields in contention but St Thomas’ did enough.

Joe Canning hit 0-9, six of them from frees, two from play and one a trademark sideline, as Portumna got their campaign off to a 0-23 to 0-13 win over Padraic and Cathal Mannion’s Ahascragh/Fohenagh.

Turloughmore, who disappointed last season when fancied for a tilt at the championship, produced a strong second-half display to see off Castlegar by 2-18 to 1-10.

Castlegar, the most prolific winners of the Galway title but showing little sign of ending a famine that goes back to 1984, showed little up front other than veteran former county player Ger Farragher, while at the other end Sean Loftus hit six points from play in a 0-9 haul and debutant Tom Quirke got 1-1.

A late penalty from Dan Nevin was the key score as Cappataggle beat Gort by 2-16 to 1-16, although deep into injury-time it took a fine save former Galway goalkeeper James Skehill to deny Jason Grealish a late equaliser.

Clarinbridge, last year’s runners-up, got their campaign off to a winning start with Evan Niland leading the way in a 1-21 to 1-16 win over Killimordaly, while Loughrea pipped Tommy Larkins by 1-18 to 1-17.

Promoted Moycullen, trained by former Athenry and Galway All-Ireland winning manager John Hardiman, got their campaign off to a winning start when they ousted Athenry by 2-14 to 1-12, while Ardrahan scored an impressive 1-19 to 2-11 win over 2017 winners and runners-up in 2018 and ’19 Liam Mellows.

The Molloy brothers led the way as Kilnadeema-Leitrim beat Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry by 2-30 to 2-18.

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