St Thomas’ hearts left shattered by player who is one of hurling’s greats
Inside Track with John McIntyre
There’s a new respect and appreciation out there for just how good St Thomas’ hurlers are despite losing Sunday’s thrilling All-Ireland Club semi-final in the most heart-breaking of circumstances to Ballyhale Shamrocks at Semple Stadium.
Rank outsiders at odds of 100/30 – their price having drifted when news emerged that county player Shane Cooney and attacker Damien McGlynn would be injury absentees – St Thomas’ made a mockery of their pre-match standing by coming desperately close to pulling off their greatest-ever victory.
People will say it was only a semi-final, but apart from their injury woes, St Thomas’ were also still carrying scars from their only previous encounter with the reigning All-Ireland champions – a final thumping by 17 points at Croke Park in the Spring of 2019.
Furthermore, it wasn’t as if the Shamrocks were going to be caught off guard after their early experiences in the provincial championship – getting out of jail against St Rynagh’s of Offaly and surviving a fright from Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers. Any complacency in the Kilkenny team’s ranks had been well and truly knocked out of their system ahead of facing St Thomas’.
They knew what was coming from the Galway champions, but struggled to cope with the challengers’ snappy stickwork, fervour, sheer heart, and overall quality. Ballyhale were knocked off their stride and never really looked like winning the game until TJ Reid drove a second dagger through St Thomas’ hearts in injury time.
Of course, questions will be asked of the vanquished that after putting so many bodies between their net and Reid – maybe they had too many! – the Shamrocks’ sharpshooter still managed to hit the bullseye. But we have seen this kind of late drama in hurling matches before, especially when teams are defending a two-point lead.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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