St. Thomas' captain Robert Murray, left, lifts the cup with Kenneth Burke, centre, and Enda Tannion with his son Matthew, age 2 after the 2013 AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final against Kilcormac-Killoughey. Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
By John Harrington
Former Galway dual star, Alan Kerins, says St. Thomas’ will seal their status as one of the greats of club hurling if they defeat O’Loughlin Gaels in Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland Club SHC Final.
St. Thomas’ have won the last six Galway titles in a row but this is only the second time in that sequence that they’ve reached the All-Ireland Final in that sequence, and on that occasion they were well-beaten by Ballyhale Shamrocks in the 2019 Final.
They won an All-Ireland title back in 2013 after winning their first ever Galway championship, and have been on a quest ever since to win a second.
“I think to shine a light on their greatness as a team, and they are great, it would `be great for them to cap it off with another club title,” says Kerins, who will feature in TG4’s upcoming Laochra Gael series. “To have two in the bank would be unreal.
“What they've done in Galway is unbelievable, six-in-a-row is a phenomenal achievement and they've a great chance of going seven(in-a-row) and they'll want to do it for the record and surpass Turloughmore.
“To do six-in-a-row is unbelievable, especially given the strong competition in Galway but to do justice to that, I'd love to see them get another All-Ireland. They were caught last year and they had Ballyhale beaten two years ago.
“They have been unlucky when they've gotten out of Galway but I'd love to see them win a second one just to do justice to the unbelievable achievement of doing six in Galway.”
Former Galway hurler and footballer Alan Kerins attends the launch of TG4's award-winning Laochra Gael series at the Light House Cinema in Dublin as the Gaelic sport biography series returns for another season. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Kerins believes that a St. Thomas’ win on Sunday might also help Galway to win some silverware in Henry Shefflin’s third year as manager.
“That was very unlucky last year but they seem to have plenty of new players in again and if Thomas' can win it'll give a boost and fresh energy,” says Kerins.
“Henry has tried a lot of new players and Eamonn O'Shea is in as well, which is a huge addition.
“We all know what Eamonn is about in terms of energy, not just his coaching, but he's an unbelievable presence with his energy and personality and the belief that he will instil in them.
“Obviously, there's his coaching nous as well in terms of movement up front and maximising our forwards as well.”
No county has won more All-Ireland minor titles than Galway in the last 10 years, but that success hasn’t been replicated at senior or even in the u-20 grade.
Kerins is convinced the talent is there in the county, and hopes the younger players in Shefflin’s panel can really make their mark in 2024.
“It's there, it's about bringing it out of them and getting them to fulfil their potential. There's a few of them coming through who are obviously in their third of fourth year and you can see them developing even physically.
“That's what Kilkenny did brilliantly years ago, the likes of TJ Reid and Richie Hogan served two or three years on a panel before to bed in before they were regular starters.
“Hopefully some of them will really stand out and then we'll get a few newbies. The likes of Kevin Cooney, Jack Grealish and Darren Morrissey improved no end last year, they're coming into the peak of their powers and you have Tom Monaghan and Ronan Glennon as well.
“Hopefully the Thomas' boys can come back in as well then and bring their club form to the county scene.”
