The first round of the Brooks Group Senior Hurling Championship went to script for the main contenders. Five-in-a-row chasing St Thomas’, perennial challengers Turloughmore, and last year’s beaten finalists Clarinbridge, all registered wins as the race for the Tom Callanan Cup got underway.
St Thomas’ had to pass the stern test posed by Dinny Cahill’s Sarsfields on Sunday afternoon in Athenry, and, like true champions, they did so thanks to a fourth-quarter surge that eventually saw them run out 2-25 to 3-19 winners after Conor Cooney and Damien McGlynn had earlier found the net.
Elsewhere in Group 1, Clarinbridge had five points to spare in getting the better of Killimordaly by 1-21 to 1-16, while early goals from Fergal Moore and Tom Quirke laid the platform for Turloughmore to comfortably get the better of Castlegar by 2-18 to 1-10 on a wet Saturday evening in Pearse Stadium.
Group 2 produced the closest run contest of the weekend as Loughrea snatched a one-point win on Friday night over Tommy Larkins, with Jamie Ryan holding his nerve with a late free to secure an important win.
Cappataggle won another heavyweight battle against Gort by 2-16 to 1-16 to put themselves in a good position, while Craughwell saw off Kilconieron on Bank Holiday Monday by 2-15 to 0-9, with Stephen O’Halloran and Tom Monaghan among the goalscorers.
Moycullen hit the ground running on their return to the senior ranks with an impressive 2-14 to 1-12 win over Athenry in Senior B Group 1. Moycullen hit the game’s last five points to secure the two points, after Cian Folan and Niall Mannion had bagged first-half goals.
Oranmore-Maree ran out comfortable winners over Beagh on Monday after opening up a 1-9 to 0-3 half time advantage. Niall Burke hit 10 points as they won by 2-15 to 1-9, while Kilnadeema-Leitrim racked up the weekend’s biggest total in a 2-30 to 2-18 rout of Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry.
In Group 2 Portumna, despite trailing by three early in the second half, ended up having 10 points to spare over Ahascragh/Fohenagh in a remarkable turnaround. Injury time points from Ronan Glennon and Finian Coone earned Mullagh a 2-11 to 0-15 win over Padraig Pearses. Perhaps the surprise result of the weekend saw Ardrahan see off Liam Mellows by 1-19 to 2-11, with Cianan Fahy hitting their late goal.
The highly competitive intermediate championship also got underway last weekend, with Sylane and Turloughmore recording wins in Group 1. Craughwell came from behind to defeat Carnmore in Group 2, while there was also an impressive performance from Meelick/Eyrecourt.
Abbeyknockmoy recorded an important win over Kiltormer in Group 3, while last year’s beaten finalists Killimor had plenty to spare over Castlegar. Rahoon/Newcastle and Clarinbridge both got their Group 4 campaigns off to a winning start.
