Congrats to St Thomas's today. Some achievement for such a small rural club. They didn't play well at all today (and the referee ruined it for KK) but that doesn't matter a bit. With such a young team there is no reason Thomas's shouldn't go on to dominate for the next few years.

The main reason for my post however is to recognise the outstanding record of Galway clubs with now 7 different team winning All Irelands:
Castlegar, Kiltormer, Sarsfields, Athenry, Portumna, Clarinbridge and now St. Thomas's.
Is there any county with a record close?

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 17/03/2013 17:53:00    1351048

Congrats. Enjoy it St Thomas' .

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 17/03/2013 18:19:34    1351086

Since you ask:

Cork All-Ireland Club winners:

Hurling
Blackrock
St Finbarr's
Glen Rovers
Nwetownshandrum
Midleton

Football
Nemo Rangers
St Finbarr's
O'Donovan Rossa

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 646 - 17/03/2013 21:09:36    1351199

Cork ones can't help themselves; such modesty lol!

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 17/03/2013 21:26:20    1351217

well midelton if we are to include football in the discussion galway have also a few winners!!
Corofin
Caltra
Salthill

would just like to say well done to St Thomas great win for them!

ozbound (Galway) - Posts: 80 - 18/03/2013 08:36:20    1351266

thought it was going to be about the 7 Roscommon clubs who had previously lost finals!

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1931 - 18/03/2013 10:52:17    1351295

ozbound
County: Galway
Posts: 20

1351266
well midelton if we are to include football in the discussion galway have also a few winners!!
Corofin
Caltra
Salthill


Just sticking up for my own, OzBound. And the man did ask how others compare! No doubt Galway beats us on that one. Congratulations to St Thomas. I really am delighted for them, although you mightn't believe it.

One further thing: St Finbarrs won all-Ireland club titles in hurling and football. Who compares to that?

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 646 - 18/03/2013 13:13:29    1351358

Easy to have 7 different winners when the Galway champions are straight into a AI semi every year.

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 18/03/2013 17:36:08    1351534

Well richiescats, what other way do you propose? A couple of years ago Portumna were going up playing Mayo/Roscommon teams and hammering the hell outta them, matches like that were no addition at all. If Galway teams were put into leinster it would be an uneven AI series. There really is no other way... The Galway club championship is very challenging (6 AI winners now since 2006, 3 diff clubs) so to say they have an easy ride is unfair.

Football Whiz (Galway) - Posts: 123 - 20/03/2013 13:55:19    1352699

Galway clubs have to come through the toughest championship in their own county. They wouldn't win half of the 11 Club AI's since 1992 if they didn't have a very tough time of it in Galway. Richiescats, what you said is like saying no wonder KK have so many hurling AI's since they don't play any football or play it to a very poor standard as well as having a soft time of it in Leinster until Galway joined in the last few years!

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 20/03/2013 14:46:18    1352750

Galways hurling club scene is pure brutal. There are some very good Galway clubs that don't even get a sniff at the county title due to the sheer depth and quality of the club scene. Brutal.

WoodlawnPat (Galway) - Posts: 288 - 20/03/2013 16:14:03    1352830

i say johnny maher of loughrea is chomping at the bit for action?..

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 506 - 20/03/2013 16:33:17    1352845

tommy k
County: Galway
Posts: 1205

1352750
Galway clubs have to come through the toughest championship in their own county. They wouldn't win half of the 11 Club AI's since 1992 if they didn't have a very tough time of it in Galway. Richiescats, what you said is like saying no wonder KK have so many hurling AI's since they don't play any football or play it to a very poor standard as well as having a soft time of it in Leinster until Galway joined in the last few years!



Football Whiz
County: Galway
Posts: 83

1352699
Well richiescats, what other way do you propose? A couple of years ago Portumna were going up playing Mayo/Roscommon teams and hammering the hell outta them, matches like that were no addition at all. If Galway teams were put into leinster it would be an uneven AI series. There really is no other way... The Galway club championship is very challenging (6 AI winners now since 2006, 3 diff clubs) so to say they have an easy ride is unfair.

Tommy K what makes the Galway championship so tough? Is it the Johnny Maher factor? Every county championship is hard to win why should the Galway champs have an easy route to the final. If you think Kilkenny have it soft in Leinster , your wrong , we got to beat what's in front of us unlike the Galway hurlers who were in the semi final every year and only have 3 titles to their name.

Well Football Whiz I propose an open draw. Everybody has to play the same amount of games , it's about time for this format now. Kilcormac/Killoughey had to beat the Dublin champs and the Wexford champs(who beat the Kilkenny champs), just to get to the same stage St Thomas's were at, whose first game after their own championship was the semi against Lougheil Shamrocks. No doubt the Galway sides over the last 20 years were great sides but they are getting a distinct advantage.

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 20/03/2013 17:46:51    1352895

I can see where you are coming from alright but on the other hand than you could argue that maybe St. Thomas would have to beat the likes of Portumna, Clarenbridge and Loughrea (3 AI finalists in recent years, 2 winners) just to reach the same stage as some teams in lesser counties when they play in this 'last 32' or 'last 16' that you are proposing, who will have the advantage then?

If you were to ring up Lar Corbett or Paudie Maher and ask them how they felt after winning Munster for the first time for their club and tell them you want to scrap the Munster Championship and see what reply you'd get....

Football Whiz (Galway) - Posts: 123 - 21/03/2013 14:49:58    1353480

Since 1992 the record is as follows:
Galway 11 wins
Leinster 7 wins
Munster 3 wins
Ulster 1 win

The Leinster, Munster and Ulster Champions always get through to the AI semi final. By any argument, Galway teams have dominated club hurling in recent history

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 21/03/2013 15:51:03    1353542

Notice Richiescats didn't mention football in KK as he knows they are pretty useless at it? Its fine when ye concentrate in only 1 game. Johhny Maher plays for 1 club and there are 20 senior clubs that play in the Galway championship so that is a red herring. Having 20 clubs makes it a very difficult county to get out of. KK had it soft in Leinster (beating the likes of Offaly and Wexford by double scores etc. more often than not) up until Galway joined a few years back and Galway has since won the Leinster title convincingly to emphasise that point. Galway have won 4 AI senior titles not 3 so you got that wrong also!

tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 21/03/2013 17:29:51    1353629

As a dissapointed BIFFO I have no hesitation in congratulating Galway on winning again ( I already congratulated St Thomas on another thread & gave my opinion on various issues raised and wont go off-topic here).

Of course its a credit to Galway & a reflection on the strength of the club scene.

None of those titles were won easy. All semi & final opponents made it as difficult as possible for the Galway teams.

Now as far as I remember people will say Galway have it easy with a straight entry to a Sem when they are winning but will have a different view when they dont !!!! Provinces are as they are so just get on with trying to win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KELF (Kildare) - Posts: 775 - 21/03/2013 21:35:51    1353837

Good post KELF.
For what it's worth, KK definitely should feel hard done by last Sunday as the sendings off (neither of which were warranted) gave the result to St Thomas's. That being said, I do believe Thomas's are a much much better team than they showed on Sunday and that was by far the worst they played all year.

As regards Offaly, I'm sure you don't need reminding of their great record in club hurling.
Since 1992 that I mentioned, the record is
Galway 11
Offaly 4
Kilkenny 3
Clare 2
Antrim 1
Cork 1

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 22/03/2013 09:44:55    1353901

Football Whiz
County: Galway
Posts: 85

1353480
I can see where you are coming from alright but on the other hand than you could argue that maybe St. Thomas would have to beat the likes of Portumna, Clarenbridge and Loughrea (3 AI finalists in recent years, 2 winners) just to reach the same stage as some teams in lesser counties when they play in this 'last 32' or 'last 16' that you are proposing, who will have the advantage then?

If you were to ring up Lar Corbett or Paudie Maher and ask them how they felt after winning Munster for the first time for their club and tell them you want to scrap the Munster Championship and see what reply you'd get....

Ballyhale Shamrocks have to play against O'Loughlin Gaels, James Stephens and Ballycallan all AI finalists also in the last decade. Then after the county final last year had to play Oulart the very next week. Who St Thomas's play, nobody till the following feb.

If I was to give Lar and Maher the choice of playing 3 tough knockout games before they could reach the AI semi or going straight to the semi they'll bite my arm off to go straight to AI semi and getting the winter off.

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 22/03/2013 13:30:01    1354089

tommy k
County: Galway
Posts: 1215

1353629
Notice Richiescats didn't mention football in KK as he knows they are pretty useless at it? Its fine when ye concentrate in only 1 game. Johhny Maher plays for 1 club and there are 20 senior clubs that play in the Galway championship so that is a red herring. Having 20 clubs makes it a very difficult county to get out of. KK had it soft in Leinster (beating the likes of Offaly and Wexford by double scores etc. more often than not) up until Galway joined a few years back and Galway has since won the Leinster title convincingly to emphasise that point. Galway have won 4 AI senior titles not 3 so you got that wrong also!

Why bring KK football into it when it has nothing to do with the club scene.Galway and Ulster champions have to join Leinster or have an all country open draw to have a true AI Club Champion.

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 22/03/2013 13:38:21    1354100