Éanna Burke's magical point captures All-Ireland club title for 14-man St Thomas’
MAGIC; Éanna Burke of St Thomas' shoots to score the winning point under pressure from Tony Forristal of O'Loughlin Gaels. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Éanna Burke produced a magical point from under the Hogan Stand to capture this ill-tempered All-Ireland club final for 14-men St Thomas’.
Leading by three points in the penultimate minute of normal time, the Galway men appeared to be on their way to a second All-Ireland senior title having lost James Regan to a straight red card, one of seven cards shown in the game, at the start of the second half.
However, O’Loughlin Gaels manufactured three scores on the trot, Mark Bergin, substitute Conor Kelly and David Fogarty sending over points, to set up a tense conclusion, which was defined by Burke’s piece of magic, juggling the ball over the head then firing over on his left side from an angle.
St Thomas’ lost Regan two minutes into the second half. Regan caught Jack Nolan high and saw the line but the setback only seemed to galvanise St Thomas’. They scored two of the next three points to level.
Gerard Kelly deflected a rasping Luke Hogan shot off the crossbar and out of danger in the 39th minute and St Thomas’ made plenty of the let-off with the next two points before Seán Bolger made it a one-point game.
#GAABEO 60+4 nóim @oloughlingaels -17@StThomassHC 0-18
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 21, 2024
Éanna Burke leis an gcúilín cinniúnach
The Galway side win it at the death! 🥳
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺#GAA @GAA_BEO pic.twitter.com/qLUZNN8b5a
Cathal Burke and Conor Heary exchanged scores before Victor Manso added his second. Mark Bergin, with his second free, and Éanna Burke swapped points. Conor Cooney’s fourth free gave St Thomas’ a three-point cushion once more before O’Loughlins reeled it in and Burke’s classy score.
The first half was significant for a host of reasons, many of them the wrong ones. In the eighth minute, replays indicated Owen Wall’s shot was too hot for Fintan Burke to prevent from going over the goal-line but neither umpire saw it that way and no score was awarded much to the umbrage of the O’Loughlin Gaels’ sideline.
Midway through the half, Jordan Molloy was fortunate to remain on the field for pushing his head towards David Burke whose theatrical fall was unfortunate.
Later on, the O’Loughlin Gaels management were again furious when no action was taken when Seán Bolger was pushed over an advertising hoarding at the Hill 16 goal.
Into that end, the Kilkenny and Leinster champions scored 10 times in the first half. With the wind bellowing at their backs, the question was would it be enough when St Thomas’ had fashioned eight into the elements.
Half of O’Loughlins’ scores came from their defence, four of them from their half-back line. Paddy Deegan had two to his name by the 25th minute as he dined out on the St Thomas’ clearances abbreviated by the gale.
St Thomas’, to their credit, never strayed more than three points behind. Cian Mahony was a force in the full-back line and David Burke was once again turning back the years whether it was in midfield or as a target man.
C. Cooney (0-6, 4 frees); David Burke, É. Burke (0-3 each); J. Regan, V, Manso (0-2 each); G. Kelly (free), C. Burke (0-1 each).
M. Bergin (0-4, 2 frees); P. Deegan, J. Molloy, S. Bolger, D. Fogarty (0-2 each); L. Hogan, M. Butler, S. Murphy (free), C. Heary, C. Kelly (0-1 each).
G. Kelly; D. Sherry, F. Burke, C. Mahony; J. Headd, S. Cooney, C. Burke; D. Finnerty, David Burke; V. Manso, C. Cooney, Darragh Burke; J Regan, O. Flannery, É. Burke.
E. Duggan for D. Sherry (inj 20); B. Burke for V. Manso (50);
J. Regan (straight, 32).
S. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, T. Forristal; D. Fogarty, P. Deegan, J. Molloy; J. Nolan, C. Loy; E. O’Shea, M. Bergin (c), C. Heary; O. Wall, L. Hogan, S. Bolger.
C. Kelly for E. O’Shea (47); P. Butler for S. Bolger (59).
S. Stack (Dublin).
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