Galway Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

TURLOUGHMORE 2-17 LOUGHREA 1-17

By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

Turloughmore will contest a Galway SHC decider for the first time since 1990.

Inspired by Daithi Burke’s excellence, Joe Hession and Francis Forde’s outfit carved out a hugely sastisfying success in Salthill.

Crucially a well organised Turloughmore restricted Loughrea after the restart and that was one of the chief reasons they now await the winners of St Thomas’ and Cappataggle.

An eventful opening period unfolded with Barry Callanan and Gary Burke plundering goals for Turloughmore, who went in 2-6 to 0-11 in front at the turnaround.

Before the break Loughrea, who trailed 1-5 to 0-5 following Callanan’s 22nd minute goal, summoned a gutsy response.

That brilliant Loughrea burst provided encouragement with Jamie Ryan and Neil Keary sharp in attack with Turloughmore’s Conor Walsh also denied by a smart Gearoid Loughnane penalty save.

Still Turloughmore rattled the Loughrea net in first half stoppage time as Daithi Burke’s remarkable pass enabled Badger to score an opportunistic goal.

Turloughmore struck 2-6 from 14 shots, while Loughrea nailed 0-11 from 14 ensuring the issue was delicately poised when the teams returned.

Four points in a row from Walsh (2), the splendid Jamie Holland, and Linnane put Turloughmore into a commanding position.

Loughrea battled until the bitter end, but Turlough, with Burke and Holland supplying real leadership, were dictating the agenda.

Deep into stoppage time Joseph Mooney, prominent throughout for Loughrea, mined a goal, but Turloughmore held on.

Scorers for Turloughmore: Conor Walsh 0-8 (6fs, 1 65), Barry Callanan 1-3, Gary Burke 1-0, Jamie Holland 0-2 (1f), Daniel Loftus, Daithi Burke, Sean Linnane, and Matthew Keating 0-1 each.

Scorers for Loughrea: Neil Keary 0-8 (7fs), Jamie Ryan 0-4 (1 sideline), Joseph Mooney 1-2, Emmet Mahoney 0-2, Paul Hoban 0-1 (f).

TURLOUGHMORE: Mark Fahy; Mikey Morris, Ronan Burke, Mark Murphy; Daniel Loftus, Jamie Holland, Kevin Hussey; Fergal Moore, Daithi Burke; Sean Loftus, Conor Walsh, Matthew Keating; Barry Callanan, Gary Burke, Sean Linnane.

Subs: Barry McDonagh for Keating (50), Brian Connolly for Murphy (54), Richard Doyle for Callanan (60), Diarmuid Mullen for Linnane (60+2), Ronan Badger for G Burke (30+5).

LOUGHREA: Gearoid Loughnane; Oisin Coyle, Johnny Coen, Caimin Killeen; Dylan Shaughnessy, Paul Hoban, Conor Jennings; Brian Keary, Ian Hanrahan; Sean Sweeney, Joseph Mooney, Emmet Mahoney; Neil Keary, Jamie Ryan, Martin McManus.

Subs: Anthony Burns for Sweeney (40), Cathal Gibbons for B Keary (51), Thomas Hoban for E Mahoney (54), Shane O’Brien for McManus (60+4).

REFEREE: John Keane.