St Thomas (Galway) 0-15
Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) 0-7

St Thomas booked their place in the St Patricks Day club hurling showcase for the first time ever with an impressive victory over holders Loughgiel at St Tiernach's Park, Clones.

Played in much better conditions than the drawn match last weekend, spectators were treated to a fine game of end-to-end hurling in the opening half.

However, the Galway side picked up the running after the restart with eight points without reply.

Loughgiel trailed by the minimum at the break - 0-6 to 0-5.

The All-Ireland champions produced a rip roaring start to the game when Benny McCarry and Shane Casey tested 'keeper Patrick Skehill, but the Thomas' backline stood firm.

A Liam Watson score immediately after the resumption levelled the scoring but it was all Thomas' from there on.

Top scorer yet again Conor Cooney and Bernard Burke were among the scorers as the gap between the teams gradually increased.

Loughgiel could only manage two second half points, Watson again with their second.

Cooney rounded off a superb display from the Galway champions with a free near the end.

St Thomas will meet Offaly's Kilcormac-Killoughey in the All-Ireland decider, both sides only claimed their first senior county championship in 2012.

St Thomas - P Skehill; C Burke, S Skehill, S Burke; E Tannion, D Burke, Robert Murray; J Regan (0-1), D Burke (0-1); S Cooney, C Cooney (0-6), B Burke (0-4); K Burke (0-1), Richie Murray (0-1), A Kelly. Subs: E Burke (0-1) for Tannion, G Murray for K Burke, D Sherry for Kelly.

Loughgiel Shamrocks - D D Quinn; P Gillan, N McGarry, M McFadden; J Campbell, M Scullion, J Campbell; B McAuley, T McCloskey; J Scullion, D Laverty, E McCloskey (0-1); B McCarry, L Watson (0-6), S Casey. Subs: O McFadden for McAuley, S Dobbin for Laverty.

Referee - J Owens. Tweet

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