Galway SHC Final: Tiernan Killeen holds his nerve to earn Loughrea another cut at St Thomas’

Loughrea 0-20 St Thomas’ 1-17

St Thomas’ manager Kenneth Burke said they will need to show a big improvement next Sunday if they are to see off the challenge of their neighbours Loughrea and claim a fifth Galway SHC title in a row.

A crowd in the region of 6,000 was treated to a pulsating contest at Pearse Stadium where the champions only went in front for the first time in the third minute of injury-time, only for Loughrea’s Tiernan Killeen to display enormous composure and fire over a brilliant equaliser from the right wing into the teeth of a strong wind

“We had a terrible start,” said Burke. “They were running us ragged and we need to learn from that. We need a better performance. This wasn’t our best performance, by far.

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“Loughrea put us under serious pressure from the start. We will go through the video and see where we can get lads into the game more.”

It’s the 12th time that the Galway final has ended in a draw and the first since 2015, but most would agree it was the fairest result after a cracking contest.

Henry Shefflin and his Galway management team was in attendance and among possible new players to catch his eye was Loughrea’s Martin McManus. He hit three points from play in less than two minutes at the start to give the champions a blistering opening and added a fourth later in addition to setting up several scores.

And with Neil Keary accurate with frees, they opened up a lead of 0-8 to 0-3 after just 12 minutes after St Thomas’ had opted to play against the breeze.

But St Thomas’ didn’t panic and a couple of points from Darragh Burke after an opening score from Victor Manso settled them.

Captain Conor Cooney landed four frees from distance in the opening half and Eanna Burke also hit two from play as St Thomas’ trailed by just 0-12 to 0-10 at the break.

Loughrea held their lead throughout the third quarter and extended it to four even after they were reduced to 14 men when Darren Shaughnessy picked up a second yellow card.

But St Thomas’ hit back and Eanna Burke blasted to the net after being set up by Damien McGlynn after 53 minutes and then Burke levelled from the left a minute later.

Jamie Ryan edged Loughrea back in front before Cooney levelled in a frantic finish.

Eanna Burke edged the champions in front for the first time three minutes into injury-time, but Loughrea kept their composure, worked the ball from deep inside their own half and Killeen, son of former Galway United midfielder Ronan, hit a brilliant equaliser from the right wing to keep their hopes of a third Galway title alive.

LOUGHREA: G Loughnane; J Coen, P Hoban, K Hanrahan; I Hanrahan (0-2), O Coyle (0-1), B Keary; J Ryan (0-1), T Killeen (0-1); Darren Shaughnessy, Dylan Shaughnessy (0-1), A Burns; N Keary (0-9, eight frees), M McManus (0-4), J Mooney (0-1).

Subs: S Sweeney for I Hanrahan (57 mins), C Killeen for Dylan Shaughnessy, S O’Brien for Burns (both 59).

ST THOMAS’: G Kelly; C Mahony, F Burke, C Burke; E Duggan, J Headd, M Caulfield; B Burke, David Burke; V Manso (0-1), C Cooney (0-9, eight frees), Darragh Burke (0-2); D McGlynn, E Burke (1-4), O Flannery (0-1).

Subs: S Cooney for Caulfield (h-t), B Farrell for Manso (45), C Headd for J Headd (57), D Finnerty for B Burke (62).

Referee: Shane Hynes (Oranmore/Maree).