Turloughmore primed to bridge 35-year title gap

After going four months without pucking a competitive ball from March to July, the club campaign finally got up and running, and given the uncertainty of that period where players were left to their own devices in many respects during lockdown, this year’s championship had the making’s of the year of the underdog with the potential for any amount of twists and turns.

But here we are three months later left with just two, the big two in many people’s eyes as three-in-a-row chasing St Thomas’ get set to face-off with a Turloughmore side who have finally reached county final day after so many years of disappointment, in Kenny Park on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).

There have been plenty of upsets, late smash-and-grab victories and shock exits along the way, but for St Thomas’ and Turloughmore, it’s been business as usual with Turlough finally coming of age and looking like the team we all believed they could be; and St Thomas’ looking every bit like the champions we know they are, scintillating and ruthless on some occasions, but gutsy and brave in equal measure when the chips have been down in some games.

So where does the advantage lie heading into the weekend? Is there such thing as champions’ advantage? Of course there is and St Thomas’ experience on the big day and the 100% record they boast with four victories from four attempts is worth a lot, but is it outweighed by Turlough’s greater recovery time between games and all-round preparations?

Both camps are in the middle of a very different week’s preparations ahead of Sunday’s meeting. For St Thomas’, who came through a bruising battle with Cappataggle by a single point only last Sunday, it’s all about trying to get the same 15 players plus subs back to Kenny Park in one piece and primed to go again.

Turloughmore have that all taken care of and have been training away with the sole focus on St Thomas’ and getting their own performance right to bring a first Tom Callinan Cup home in 35 years – that’s worth a lot.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.