Soft goals help Larkins to pull off shock win

Tommie Larkins 2-11St Thomas’ 0-15

Dara Bradleyin Loughrea

TWO opening half-goalkeeping blunders cost St Thomas’ dearly at Loughrea on Sunday evening as underdogs Tommie Larkins clung on for a two points victory in the second round of the senior hurling championship.

It really was a nightmare day between the sticks for St Thomas’ Patrick Skehill who was at fault for both majors conceded in the first 13 minutes of play – the Peterswell/Kilchreest/Castledaly outfit, driven on by tyoung county star David Burke, recovered well, had Larkins on the run in the second half and could have pipped them in the end but were ultimately punished for those early mistakes.

It may seem a bit unfair to concentrate on Skehill’s errors, but no matter how you dress it up, no amount of sympathy or empathy can disguise the fact that the ‘keeper’s lapses in concentration cost St Thomas’ the match.

The first freak goal came in the fourth minute when Larkin’s keeper Darragh Starr used the strong wind advantage to launch a long-range, high ball into St Thomas’ danger area. In fairness to Skehill, he did the hard part – showed bravery to come off his line and rose highest above the scatter of forwards and backs in front of him to claim the sliotar – but he then suddenly dropped it and was powerless to prevent it from passing the white chalk.

It was Larkins’ first score that gave them an early lead and cancelled out two well worked Thomas’ points from James Regan and Richie Murray. David Burke then levelled matters with his first of seven points from placed balls, before another error gifted Larkins their second goal and only their second score of the match.

Larkins’ Eamonn Hayes, who was industrious throughout, struck for what was looking like the point that would give his side the lead after 13 minutes but the centre-forward couldn’t believe his luck when it didn’t have the legs and dipped under rather than over the crossbar, deceiving the ‘keeper.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.