St Thomas (Galway) 1-11
Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-9
ST THOMAS BECAME the seventh Galway club to lift the All-Ireland senior hurling crown with a two-point success against Offaly champions Kilcormac-Killoughey in Croke Park this afternoon.
In a tight and low-scoring encounter played in difficult conditions, St Thomas hit four points without reply in the final quarter to secure glory.
Kilcormac-Killoughey received a setback in the 53rd minute when Killian Leonard was controversially sent-off after a pull across St Thomas Darragh Burke as he emerged with the ball from defence.
And their woes were compounded minutes later when their other midfielder Mark Leonard received his second yellow card of the game as they finished with 13 men.
St Thomas took advantage with a brace of points apiece from experienced attacker Richie Murray and Galway senior Conor Cooney helping them secure the honours.
It was St Thomas who lead at the break by 1-7 to 1-5 after Murray had found the net for them from a rebound when Cooney’s drive from a 20-yard free was blocked on the line.
Kilcormac-Killoughey’s goal arrived courtesy of Trevor Fletcher, parachuted into the side after Daniel Currams was ruled out through injury, when he booted to the net after seizing a breaking ball.
Kilcormac-Killoughey who had captain and ace marksman Ciaran Slevin in splendid scoring form up front as he shot 0-8, went in front by 1-9 to 1-7 by the third quarter mark.
But they suffered from a lack of scores from play, only 1-1 during the game, and just two players who got on the scoresheet – Slevin and Fletcher.
In contrast St Thomas registered 1-8 from play with six different players contributing to their overall total. And it was Murray and Cooney who made the match-winning contributions to secure a memorable success for the Peterswell-Kilchreest combination.
Kilcormac-Killoughey’s Peter Geraghty, Ciaran Slevin and Kevin Grogan dejected after the game
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Scorers for St Thomas: Richie Murray 1-2, Conor Cooney 0-5 (0-3f), Anthony Kelly, James Regan, Bernard Burke, Kenneth Burke 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilcormac-Killoughey: Ciaran Slevin 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 sideline), Trevor Fletcher 1-1.
ST THOMAS: Patrick Skehill; Sean Skehill, Robert Murray, Cathal Burke; Enda Tannion, Darragh Burke, Sean Burke; Kenneth Burke, David Burke; Shane Cooney, Conor Cooney, James Regan; Anthony Kelly, Richie Murray, Bernard Burke.
Subs: Eanna Burke for Kelly (46), Gerald Murray for S Cooney (58).
KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; James Grogan, Ger Healion, Alan McConville; Kevin Grogan, Peter Healion, Brian Leonard; Damien Kilmartin, Killian Leonard; Ciaran Slevin, Conor Mahon, Peter Geraghty; James Gorman, Trevor Fletcher, Tomas Geraghty.
Referee: John Sexton (Cork)
Subs: Mark Leonard for Fletcher (55), Conor Guinan for P Geraghty 57.
St. Thomas captain Robert Murray and manager John Burke with the trophy after the game
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
My club’s greatest day…
As it happened: St Thomas v Kilcormac-Killoughey, All-Ireland Club SHC final
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