St. ThomasÕ prove up to the challenge in Parnell Park

Date Published: 13-Feb-2013

FOR a team of complete novices at this level, St. Thomas’ still managed to endorse Galway’s strong standing in the All-Ireland club hurling championship after an epic semi-final battle against Loughgiel Shamrocks at Parnell Park last Sunday. In shades of Clarinbridge’s titanic struggle against De La Salle of Waterford two years ago, this match also went down to the wire and produced a pulsating extra time finish.

In the cold light of the day, St. Thomas’ will be understandably disappointed that they have to go through it all again against the resilient title holders. They got off to flying starts in both halves and were four points up heading into the dying stages of extra time, only for Liam Watson to save the Antrim men with a bullet-like 21 yard free in virtually the last puck of the game.

It was a tough blow for St. Thomas’, but they will still draw great encouragement this week from the overall quality of the team’s display in their first experience of the All-Ireland club championship arena. They showed no signs of big day nerves and produced some exceptional bouts of fluent play which left Loughgiel hanging on by their fingertips. They were undoubtedly the better team and were a little unlucky not to be have carried the day.

But they have scope for improvement too. St. Thomas’ were prone to unnecessary fouling; hit some bad wides and their tactic of not contesting the short Loughgiel puck out strategy was hard to fathom. However, they never once backed away from the physical challenge on a heavy surface and, certainly, proved worthy ambassadors for Galway hurling in an absorbing and fluctuating contest.

It was also the day when Conor Cooney stepped out of the shadows of some of his higher profile team-mates, like David Burke and James Regan. Cooney had a brilliant match, scoring 12 points in total, including seven from play. His rousing effort to draw the game in normal time was all his own work and he was a thorn in the Loughgiel defence throughout the semi-final. Cooney was in terrific form and, in this mood, could also emerge as a key figure for the county team later in the year.

If Cooney stole the headlines, most of his team-mates proved up to the challenge too. Kenneth Burke, especially when moved to the attack and who exerted a critical influence in the third quarter; Bernard Burke, who admirably kept toiling way despite a couple of bad early wides; and Regan contributed ten points from play between them, while substitute Gerald Murray also made a telling contribution with a goal and a point in extra time.

Although Loughgiel’s first goal from Shay Casey ought to have been prevented by a combination of Robert Murray and goalkeeper Patrick Skehill, St. Thomas’ were to get a lucky break of their own when Gerald Murray pounced on a bad error from James Campbell for his team’s only green flag near the end of the first period of extra time. With Cooney, David Burke and Murray himself subsequently firing over points, St. Thomas’ appeared in control when leading by 1-25 to 2-18 with time running out.

There was a final kick left in Loughgiel, however. Watson, who struggled to make an impact in open play, pointed a close range free and he also displayed nerves of steel when planting the ball in the St. Thomas’ net to force a replay. The All-Ireland champions were often exposed by the team-work and fluency of the Galway men, but they never gave up with the likes of corner back Paul Gillan, Eddie McCloskey, Benny McCarry and the excellent Joey Scullion all in terrific form.

Yet, the inescapable conclusion is that Loughgiel are fortunate to be still standing. Apart from St. Thomas’ hitting 14 wides in normal time, they spurned two clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities from Richie Murray, who ought to have carried the ball further, and substitute Conor Cooney. On the positive side, the tenacious Sean Skehill hardly gave Watson a look in and the wing back’s commitment typified St. Thomas’ overall tenacity. They showed why they are the Galway champions and with a little tidying up in their shooting, they will surely advance in the replay.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.