St. Thomas’ 2-23

Gort 0-20

By Gerard Mulreaney at Kenny Park

ST Thomas’ search for a sixth Galway Senior Hurling Championship title in a row began with a comfortable nine-point victory over Gort in this Group 2 encounter on a dry day at Kenny Park on Sunday.

Team captain Conor Cooney tallied 1-10 in a game that saw eleven of their players find the target, including all six of their forwards. For Gort, Paddy Commins scored nine points, including an exquisite sideline cut in the eight minute.

St Thomas’ have won five titles on the trot, but the question on everyone’s lips is can they emulate the six-in-a-row Turloughmore side from the 1960’s? The answer to that will be known come the end of October.

Ahead of the game there was a moving tribute to the late Jimmy Cooney, who passed away suddenly earlier in the week. It was an appreciation that was played at all club championship matches over the weekend. The Sarsfields clubman won an All-Ireland title with Galway in 1980 and was an accomplished referee.

The 2022 champions were without their spiritual leader David Burke, midfielder Bernard Burke who has retired, and man-of-the-match in last year’s county final, Mark Caulfield who has emigrated to Australia. The did, however, welcome back Shane Cooney, David Sherry, and James Regan from injury.

Gort, minus the retired Aidan Harte, still featured the experienced Lally brothers – Gavin and Greg – along with Richie Cummins, Aiden Helebert, and Galway defender Jack Grealish. They only won one game in  the 2022 championship when they beat Kilconieron by 22 points.

Pictured: St Thomas’ Victor Manso aiming for the posts against Eoin Killeen of Gort during Sunday’s Senior A Championship tussle at Kenny Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaugnessy.