Senior Hurling Semi-Final: Fr. Tom Burke's v Galway

Fr. Tom Burke’s 3-14 Galway 2-14

Tom’s made it to the senior hurling final to try and defend their championship title, though only just as Galway made it close coming into the last few minutes.  The game was tightly contested all the way through save for a period in the second half when Tom’s opened an eight point lead.  The champions had to bite their nails over the final few minutes as Galway pushed late in the game to try and turn the tables, but Tom’s held on and advance to meet a very good looking Tipperary side in the final.

Fr. Tom's Niall Burke has a shot from close range.

At the break the teams were all square, though Galway appeared to have to have the upper hand for most of the half.  Getting off to the faster start, the tribesmen were four points to one up at one stage,  Aaron Fogerty put a couple of well taken efforts over the bar, Darragh Murray and Rory Hickey also contributed to the tally.

Tom’s were slow to find the range and hit several wides early, and it took a David O’Mahoney goal to catch them up.  O’Mahoney cut between two defenders and his shot one-hopped into the net giving Evan Walsh little chance at a save.  Niall Burke was a big presence at center forward for Tom’s.  The Oranmore-Maree man and accounted for a point and at times had the Galway defence in disarray, but Tom’s did not add to their tally until O’Mahoney added another point before half time; it was tied at 1-4 to 0-7 at the half.

Darragh Murray plays the ball into the forwards.

Tom’s turned the screw in the second half.  Ross King put a penalty away to put Tom’s on top by two points after Galway had taken a one point lead with a Hickey point.  The deciding phase of the game came when Tom’s opened an eight point lead after adding a goal and six points to their total.  Cormac Joyce-Power netted the third goal for Tom’s, and points came from O’Mahoney, Burke and Sean Driscoll.   Very quickly Galway had a lot of ground to make up.

Galway did make it up to the tune of within two points.  Rory Hickey netted a penalty, and shortly afterwards Alan Keating pulled off a great save to keep his side on top as Galway lifted their efforts to try and overcome the deficit.  Galway shaved two more point off the lead through the Lisdowney man, Hickey, however, Tom’s held on to the one goal lead until the final whistle sounded.  The champions in the final again, however, it will take a superlative effort to reclaim the championship against a Tipp side that has looked invincible at times.

Tom’s:  A. Keating, S. Og Lyons, S. McClelland, C. Burke, K. Kennedy, S. Dolan, L. O’Neill, K. Dunne, C. Joyce-Power, N. Burke, S. Driscoll, D. O’Mahoney, R. King.  Galway:  E. Walsh, P. O’Dwyer, O. Teagle, C. Wafer, R. O’Hanrahan, W. Walsh, S. Roche, O. Keevers, D. Murray, J. McDowell, A. Fogerty, C. Murphy, R. Hickey.

By Rory O'Donnell