All-Ireland winner Coen says heartbreak makes Loughrea victory all the sweeter

ALL THE SWEETER: Loughrea players celebrate with the Tom Callinan cup. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Galway SHC final: Loughrea 1-15 St Thomas’ 1-14

Former Galway hurler Johnny Coen said that after all the heartbreak Loughrea have suffered over the past two decades it is really special to retain the county senior hurling crown.

They just about did enough to edge out neighbours St Thomas’ by 1-15 to 1-14 to claim their fourth Galway SHC title in history and retain the Tom Callanan Cup for the first time.

This was Loughrea’s tenth final in the past 23 seasons and up to last year they had lost seven of them, two of them in replays and four of them by four points or less.

“There's been many days we've come in here and we've been left short-handed, you could say. But I think the preparation of all the players, the management, and the mentality of the group has really strengthened over the last number of years.

“And it took all our efforts to get over the line. Thomas’ have been superb champions. One point is all that was in it. We knew with the wind and the rain and the conditions the battle that was going to be ahead of us and there was going to be absolutely nothing in the game and that's where it proved,” said the 2017 All-Ireland senior winner.

The 33-year-old said that the format of the championship in the split season suited them as they were able to build momentum with games at least every two weeks.

“It's great. There is a consistency there where you're going to be playing every two weeks. We lost our last group game against Craughwell. They were full value for the win, which meant then they were out again in the next two weeks. So then we had an extra game, you could say.

“But I think from the Moycullen match, we went from strength to strength every single time. We got an awful lot of learnings from every single game and the momentum just started to build.

“There is so much quality in Galway hurling. To win last year was incredible, but to win it this year is absolutely amazing,” added the schoolteacher.

They never trailed in the game, leading by 0-11 to 0-6 having played with the wind and should have wrapped up the issue much earlier than Darren Shaughnessy’s 60th minute goal which put them five in front. Even then they had to withstand a late rally from a St Thomas’ side who had won all eight previous county finals, but Conor Cooney, who finished with 1-10, was unable to save them with a late goal.

Loughrea, beaten by Ballyhale Shamrocks in their only All-Ireland final appearance in 2007, will now meet the Ulster champions in this year’s semi-finals, but Coen said they want to savour this Galway title first.

“We've come in here on numerous occasions and come up short,” he added. “So this is just a special day for everyone, and on the pitch at the very end to see so many proud Loughrea people. There's just such a camaraderie and a togetherness around the town. They've painted the town blue and yellow.

“There's just so much goodwill. Everyone is kind of rallying around together. And look, we're just privileged people to be out on the pitch to represent the town.”

Scorers for Loughrea: D Shaughnessy 1-2, A Burns 0-5, T Killeen 0-3 (0-2f), S Morgan 0-2(0-2f), V Morgan 0-2, I Hanrahan 0-1.

Scorers for St Thomas’: C Cooney 1-10 (1-9f), D Farrell 0-2, V Manso 0-1, D Burke 0-1.

LOUGHREA: G Loughnane; P Hoban, J Coen, K Hanrahan; B Keary, S Morgan, J Mooney; I Hanrahan, Cullen Killeen; Caimin Killeen, T Killeen, J Ryan; A Burns, D Shaughnessy, V Morgan.

Subs: M McManus for Burns (18-20), McManus for Ryan (57), S Sweeney for I Hanrahan (62), A Kelly for Cullen Killeen (64), N Keary for Burns (65).

ST THOMAS': G Kelly; C Mahony, F Burke, J Headd; E Duggan, S Cooney, C Headd, David Burke, D McGlynn; Darragh Burke, C Cooney, E Burke; E Brady, D Farrell, V Manso.

Subs: C Burke for Duggan (46), J Regan for McGlynn (46), D Finnerty for Brady (57).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Killimor).