Stephen Donnelly eyes All-Ireland glory after ending Thomastown's heartache in Kilkenny

The club lost three intermediate county finals in four seasons between 2019 and 2022, before they finally landed the title last October.

Thu, 11 Jan, 2024 - 07:17

Paul Keane

When even Henry Shefflin couldn't deliver the intermediate championship success that Thomastown craved, Stephen Donnelly could have been forgiven for throwing his hat at it.

The south Kilkenny side are just 60 minutes from becoming AIB All-Ireland club intermediate champions and will face Castlelyons at Croke Park on Saturday evening.

But for a long time it seemed that captain Donnelly and his clubmates were destined to keep coming up just short within Kilkenny as they endured heartbreak after heartbreak in the second tier.

The club lost three intermediate county finals in four seasons between 2019 and 2022. The 2020 final was particularly galling as Thomastown were only beaten by Lisdowney on penalties.

Weeks later, figuring they needed inspiration, the club convinced Kilkenny great Shefflin, fresh off back-to-back All-Ireland senior club wins with nearby Ballyhale Shamrocks, to take over.

A return to the senior ranks in 2021 appeared inevitable but Thomastown didn't even reach the final that season and Shefflin left soon after to take over Galway.

"Glenmore beat us in the semi-final that year and went on to win it outright," said Donnelly of their solitary 2021 season under King Henry.

"Maybe we were relying on him too much, that we thought if we got him in that we would definitely win it but no, that didn't happen.

"Thinking back, I don't really know...we had a game plan that day and we kind of, when the pressure came on we just went away from it."

Donnelly pictured ahead of the AIB GAA Club Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final, between Castlelyons and Thomastown.

Thomastown returned to the intermediate final stage in 2022 and struck 4-25 but, agonisingly, still came up short to a Richie Hogan inspired Danesfort side that won after extra-time.

It wasn't until last October that Thomastown finally got over the line, beating Mooncoin to win a first intermediate title since 1983. Donnelly fired 1-8, all from play, and they won by 15 points. Easy in the end but did he ever think it mightn't happen at all?

"Of course it crosses your mind, you're like, 'Jeez, when am I going to get over the line?'" said the former Kilkenny senior who recalled his own Midas afternoon for Thomastown.

"It was unreal - I just had one of those days where nothing can go wrong. The ball just fell right to me every time."

In hindsight, it's hard to imagine anyone questioned them. Thomastown won their Kilkenny quarter-final by 18 points, their semi-final by 20 and the final by 15, they demolished everyone in Leinster and then put 6-26 on the board against Donegal senior champions Setanta in their All-Ireland semi-final.

Peter McDonald, on Kilkenny's panel for last year's All-Ireland final, and former county man Jonjo Farrell form their midfield axis while John Donnelly, who started for the Cats against Limerick in July, hit 3-2 against Setanta. Luke Connellan and Zach Bay Hammond were captain and vice-captain of last year's Kilkenny U-20s.

"Two years ago the boys won the (county) U-21 title and in the year just gone they got back to the final so it's kind of a coming thing for the club," said Donnelly.

"The young lads have been great."