Galway SHC: Loughrea remain on course for third title in-a-row

Jamie Ryan of Loughrea. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Loughrea remain on course for their third Galway SHC title in-a-row after seeing off Athenry and will meet neighbours Craughwell in the last four, while Tommy Larkins will take on Clarinbridge in the other semi-final.

Jamie Ryan shot 0-10 as champions Loughrea defeated Athenry by 2-19 to 0-14 and are now just 60 minutes away from reaching their 11th Galway final in the past 24 years.

They have only won three of those finals but, despite injuries, played with the authority of champions as they saw off a youthful Athenry side bidding to reach the last four for the first time since their glory period ended in 2007.

Paul Hoban, a teacher in Presentation College in Athenry, kept close tabs on his former pupil, Young Hurler of the Year nominee Jason Rabbitte, as the Loughrea defence curtailed Athenry when they had the wind in the opening half.

The sides went in level at 0-8 apiece before Loughrea pulled away with goals from Vince Morgan and Martin McManus easing them into the last four.

All-Star nominee Tom Monaghan shot 0-9 from play to drive Craughwell into the last four. And with Ciarán Leen landing 0-9 as well, eight of them frees, they eased past Sarsfields by 1-24 to 1-17.

Sarsfields were in a strong position when they trailed by just two points, 0-14 to 0-12, at the break having played with the wind.

But Craughwell got on top after the restart, with Sarsfields suffering a big blow when Galway captain Darren Morrissey went off with a shoulder injury. Monaghan and Leen kept pushing Craughwell ahead with Ryan Howley also leading the way after Adrian Prendergast found the net.

A goal from Kevin Cooney six minutes from the end of regular time gave Sarsfields hope but Craughwell, looking for their first title since 1930 having been beaten in the 2015 final replay by Sarsfields, finished strongly.

Former Galway player Jason Flynn led the way with a remarkable haul of 3-8 as Tommy Larkins saw off Turloughmore by 4-14 to 1-21.

Flynn got his first goal after nine minutes when he burst through and that left them trailing by 0-12 to 1-6 at the interval after Conor Walsh, Matthew Tarpey, Sean Loftus and Cillian Whelan hit four in a row for Turloughmore.

Flynn’s second goal came from a sideline near halfway after 42 minutes and then he blasted a 20-metre free to the net before Conor Slattery got their fourth goal.

Turloughmore, with four of Galway’s All-Ireland final squad in their ranks, rallied in the closing stages but Tommy Larkins, who have Offaly manager and Portumna native Johnny Kelly in their coaching team, held on to finally reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1982 after losing five quarter-finals in recent years.

Gort, who knocked out St Thomas’ in the preliminary quarter-finals, did not build on that success as Clarinbridge got on top and were out of sight at 4-11 to 0-8 by the break.

The goals came from Mark Kennedy, David Lee, Shane Bannon and Aaron Niland as an impressive Clarinbridge side advanced to the last four and take another step towards reaching their first final since 2021.

Galway SHC semi-finals: Loughrea v Craughwell; Tommy Larkins v Clarinbridge.