Sarsfields end ten-year wait for win over St Thomas in Galway SHC
For the first time in 10 years, and after six successive defeats including three semi-finals, Sarsfields finally took down St. Thomas’ 3-15 to 1-17 in Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on Sunday to qualify automatically for the senior hurling championship quarter-finals.
-Diarmuid MacCárthaigh’s first half goal got the New Inn-Bullaun outfit back in contention following an early five-point deficit before John Cooney struck twice in as many minutes early in the second period. And Brian Hanley’s charges achieved this result despite hitting 23 wides.
St. Thomas’ needed just a draw to secure direct passage into the final eight and now must negotiate Gort in a preliminary play-off. They made the perfect start with Oisin Flannery’s goal after just 20 seconds, but their injury issues also increased.
Starting without Shane Cooney and David Burke, manager Cathal Daly also lost Flannery three minutes after the goal. From the whistle, Darragh Burke found Evan Brady who offloaded to Flannery for the green flag.
They remained ahead until the 19th minute. Fintan Burke pointed from distance after Alex Connaire opened Sarsfields’ account. MacCárthaigh and Ian Fox reduced the deficit to 1-1 to 0-3 on 12 minutes. St. Thomas’ stretched their advantage through Conor Cooney and Fintan Burke.
Éanna Cooney registered a Sarsfields free, but the Kilchreest-Peterswell team were finding flags easier. Eanna Burke, Conor Cooney and Mark Caulfield had them 1-6 to 0-4 up approaching the final 10 minutes of the half.
But Sarsfields struck big scores when required. Paddy MacCárthaigh and Niall Quinn tallied from distance before their first goal on 20 minutes. After John Headd was dispossessed, Éanna Cooney supplied Diarmuid MacCárthaigh to his left for the equalising score.
Eanna Burke and Conor Headd restored the 2024 All-Ireland champions’ two-point advantage. Darragh Donohue and Paddy MacCárthaigh cancelled them out, before the latter’s brother Diarmuid put Sarsfields ahead for the first time.
Brady replied for St. Thomas’, but Donohue ensured a 1-10 to 1-9 lead for the boys in white at the break. He doubled that advantage upon the restart, but Eanna and Darragh Burke made it all square again on 34 minutes.
The game’s defining score was Sarsfields’ second goal 60 seconds later. Quinn drilled the ball from defence towards the square. John Cooney superbly flicked first time into the net.
After a Conor Cooney free, Sarsfields were in the driving seat as Éanna Cooney supplied his cousin John and it was 3-11 to 1-12. Joseph Cooney added a point, but St. Thomas’ plucked back scores from Damien McGlynn, Conor Cooney and Darragh Burke leaving three in it.
One goal could have turned this, but defender Pierce McGuirk was immense for Sarsfields with three important blocks. On one occasion, the ball bounced around the goal after efforts from Brady and Conor Cooney, before St. Thomas’ settled with an Eanna Burke point.
Adam and Darragh Donohue, and Joseph Cooney, concluded Sarsfields’ account. Conor Cooney got St. Thomas’ final score while another low chance was stopped by McGuirk.
McGuirk, Quinn, three Cooneys (Joseph, John and Éanna), Paddy and Diarmuid MacCárthaigh and Donohue did best for Sarsfields. St. Thomas’ were best served by Fintan, Eanna and Darragh Burke, along with Conor Cooney.
Sarsfields: C Warde; C O’Regan, D Morrissey, P McGuirk; N Quinn (0-1), Joseph Cooney (0-2), P MacCárthaigh (0-2); D Donohue (0-4, 2f), O Keane; I Fox (0-1), A Connaire (0-1), John Cooney (2-0); É Cooney (0-1, 1f), K Cooney, D MacCárthaigh (1-2).
Subs used: A Donohue (0-1) for K Cooney (44), L Connaire for D MacCárthaigh (55), C Cooney for P MacCàrthaigh (60, blood).
St. Thomas’: G Kelly; J Headd, E Duggan, P O’Donnell; M Caulfield (0-1), C Headd (0-1), C Burke; F Burke (0-2), D Finnerty; C Cooney (0-5, 3f), E Burke (0-4), D Burke (0-2); O Flannery (1-0), E Brady (0-1), D McGlynn (0-1).
Subs used: S Kelly for Flannery (3, inj), S Fallon for Finnerty (44-45, blood), Fallon for Kelly (52)
Referee: C Browne