Galway SHC final: Loughrea 1-15 Cappataggle 0-16
Loughrea are celebrating a third Galway senior hurling title and a first since 2006 after seeing off neighbours Cappataggle in a gripping contest at Kenny Park.
Anthony Burns’s 57th-minute goal proved to be the winning score as a late rally from Cappataggle still saw them come up two points short.
The danger looked to have passed when some excellent defending from Cappataggle full back James Garvey dispossessed Joe Mooney as he cut in from the left-hand side but Burns, who finished with 1-3, swept on to the loose ball and buried a shot across goal to put Loughrea five points clear heading towards injury-time.
Niall Collins hit back with three points for Cappataggle to reduce the gap but when the ball was launched into the Loughrea goalmouth for the final attack, it was former Galway player Johnny Coen who emerged with it and burst towards the stands in celebration as the final whistle was blown.
Cappataggle, who ended All-Ireland champions St Thomas’ six-year winning run in Galway in the semi-finals, will look back on their first appearance in a senior final as a missed opportunity as eight second-half wides and a missed penalty ultimately proved too costly
The five minutes either side of half-time were crucial in deciding the destination of the Tom Callanan Cup for 2024. While both sides enjoyed spells of dominance in a fast-paced first half, three points in added-time from Burns, Tiernan Killeen and Ian Hanrahan saw Loughrea take a 0-11 to 0-8 lead at the break.
Cappataggle were given the chance to wipe that lead out when they were awarded a penalty four minutes into the second half but Liam Collins’s low effort was well saved by Gearóid Loughnane, and when Loughrea captain Ian Hanrahan went up the field to strike the next score, his side took a big step towards victory.
It looked for a while as if their maiden final appearance might have overwhelmed Cappataggle as Loughrea raced into a four-point lead after just six minutes with points from Shane O’Brien, Anthony Burns, Caimin Killeen and Shane Morgan getting them off to a perfect start in front of a bumper crowd in Athenry.
Cappataggle failed to score with any of their first six shots but roared back into it with five points in a row with Niall Collins (two), David Malone (two) and Liam Collins all finding the target. The duel between Collins and Coen was one of the highlights of the day with the youngster getting four points but Coen using his experience to come out on top at some key moments.
Injuries deprived Loughrea of two of their star forwards, Jamie Ryan and Martin McManus, for most of the campaign but Burns proved himself a more than able deputy en route to the final and came up trumps once again to lead ‘the Town’ to glory.
LOUGHREA: G Loughnane; P Hoban, J Coen, K Hanrahan; S O’Brien (0-1), S Morgan (0-3, 1f, 1 65), B Keary; I Hanrahan (0-2), S Sweeney; Caimin Killeen (0-1), T Killeen (0-4, 3f), J Mooney; A Burns (1-3), Darren Shaughnessy, N Keary (0-1).
Subs: Cullen Killeen for Sweeney (11 mins), J Ryan for N Keary (38), Dylan Shaughnessy for Darren Shaughnessy (51), T Hoban for Caimin Killeen (57).
CAPPATAGGLE: J Skehill; D Cronin, J Garvey, D Campbell; E Garvey, M Garvey, D Dolan; L Coughlan, Oisín Finn; N Collins (0-8, 5f, 2 65), Oran Finn, D Malone (0-3); L Collins (0-4), R Garvey, J Mannion (0-1).
Subs: C Bowes for Oran Finn (40 mins), J Egan for E Garvey (45), J Coughlan for Malone (52).
Referee: Brian Keon.
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