An intriguing set of knockout fixtures lies in store for hurling supporters across the county as the Galway senior and intermediate championships enter the quarter-final stage, with a repeat of last year’s senior final between St. Thomas’ and Turloughmore sure to draw a massive crowd to Kenny Park on Sunday.
In the past decade these two clubs have met seven times, with both registering three wins while there was also a stoic 0-8 apiece draw in the group stages of 2019. Turloughmore notably ended St. Thomas’ 22 match unbeaten run in the 2022 group stages, but when silverware has been on offer in 2020 and 2023, the men in red and blue have found a way to eke out two-point wins on both occasions.
The Turloughmore faithful will be more than hopeful their troops can find a way, any way to stop St. Thomas’ quest for a record-setting seventh successive title. They cruised through the group stages while St. Thomas’ had to grind out a win against Craughwell last weekend in their rearranged fixture, with second half goals by Eanna and Darragh Burke proving decisive.
This game will be preceded by a contest between current competition favourites Loughrea and Castlegar at 1.30pm. Castlegar were convincing winners over Kilconieron in their last outing but there is a severe step up in class ahead of them and it would be undoubtedly the shock of the season to date if Loughrea did not book their place in the last four.
The same venue will host the first two senior quarter-finals on Saturday afternoon, with group winners Tommy Larkins and Sarsfields taking on Clarinbridge and Cappataggle respectively. Sarsfields unusually only netted one goal in their three group games but still finished unbeaten, but whether a Cappataggle side who comfortably saw off Killimordaly will have enough firepower to prevail remains to be seen.
The age profile of the Tommy Larkins’ squad may make them hungrier for a tilt at a second ever county title for the club, with Clarinbridge expected to be amongst the front-runners for plenty of years to come. Larkins put St. Thomas’ to the sword in the group stages and have top class players like Ronan and Eanna Murphy, Jason Flynn, Conor Gardiner and Declan Cronin back-boning their side.
The senior B competition is at the semi-final stage this weekend, with both games set for Ballinasloe on Sunday afternoon. Liam Mellows will be looking to avenge an earlier loss to Athenry, while a red-hot Ballinderreen side take on Portumna. Beagh once again proved that their resilience knows no bounds when coming back from the dead against Ahascragh-Fohenagh to force a relegation play-off replay that throws in at 1.30pm in Carnmore on Saturday.
Three of the four intermediate quarter-finals will be played in Gort, with Meelick/Eyrecourt taking on Turloughmore on Saturday before Kinvara and Sylane lock horns again on Sunday and Carnmore take on Killimor. Tynagh Abbey-Duniry are still favoured to go one better than last year with Mattie Kenny at the helm and they take on Rahoon-Newcastle in Kilbeacanty on Saturday.
