Champions’ love affair with Pearse Stadium could tip outcome in city club’s favour

FEW thought it at the time, but when St Thomas’ dismantled title holders Liam Mellows in a group encounter two months ago, they probably did themselves no favours for the rest of the campaign.

Of course, the Peterswell/ Kilchreest men were already on the shortlist as potential county champions, but that emphatic nine-point win led to a sudden upward shift in their status – St Thomas’ had pulled clear of the pack and were now undoubtedly the team to beat.

That burden hasn’t rested easily on their shoulders. Only for Kenneth Burke’s rousing point, they would have fallen to Clarinbridge in a dramatic quarter-final which went to extra time, while it took a late Brendan Farrell goal to make their subsequent semi-final against Sarsfields safe.

In mitigation, St Thomas’ were missing one of their defensive anchors in Fintan Burke due to concussion, but the Galway U21 captain will be back in their ranks for Sunday’s showdown against Liam Mellows at Pearse Stadium (2pm).

They need him too, for there were times in the semi-final when the St Thomas’ full-back-line showed some signs of stress. Further out the field, however, the former All-Ireland winners have potentially the best set of players in the county.

Galway captain David Burke, though his form has been hit and miss in recent outings, Conor Cooney, Darragh Burke, Shane Cooney, James Regan, Eanna Burke, who took the semi-final by storm in the second half, and Farrell tend to be their main sources of inspiration.

On paper alone, St Thomas’ look a team of stars but their progress through the knock-out stages has been hard work. There were few typical scoring blitzes and even the likes of Conor Cooney has been inconsistent – 1-5 from play in a man of the match display against the ‘Bridge, but on the margins in the semi-final when only managing a late point.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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