Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THOMAS’ PLAYERS DO LALLY PROUD..
St Thomas’ 1-14 Turloughmore 0-15
ST THOMAS’ manager Kevin Lally said the experience built up since winning their first Galway SHC title really stood to them when it mattered most in a gripping final in Athenry.
His men maintained their 100 per cent record in five senior finals and completed their third success in a row with a strong finish against a Turloughmore side looking for their first crown since 1985.
“The way they’ve applied themselves over three years, the standards they’ve set, the way that they’re constantly driving standards, pushing us, driving us, driving the club, they are a credit to themselves and to the club,” said Lally.
“This is a club with just 200 houses and to win three in a row is a tribute to their spirit and character.”
They seemed to be in trouble when they were unable to build up a lead playing with the wind in the first half.
Skipper Conor Cooney hit a goal in the opening minute but
Turloughmore, with former Galway captain Fergal Moore shooting two long range points, kept in touch and the sides turned around deadlocked at 1-6 to 0-9.
However, they suffered a huge blow before the break when four-time All Star Daithi Burke limped off and while the captain returned in the closing stages, he was unable to save the day.
St Thomas’ stepped up after the restart and held an edge in the third quarter to get two points clear.
Turloughmore rallied with Sean Loftus levelling before Sean Linnane hit his fourth point to edge them in front with six minutes left.
However, it was St Thomas’, with 2017 All-ireland winning captain David Burke winning some good ball in midfield, who finished strongly and Cooney hit his sixth free to tie the sides.
They then dominated the dying moments, with points from Eanna Burke and sub Brendan Farrell securing the crown.
- ST THOMAS’: F Burke 0-1 (f), J Regan 0-1, C Cooney 1-6 (6f), Darragh Burke 0-1; E Burke 0-1, O Flannery 0-3, B Farrell 0-1.
F Moore 0-2, C Walsh 0-4 (4f), S Loftus 0-1, M Keating 0-2; B Callanan 0-1, G Burke 0-1, S Linnane 0-4.