A look back at when St Thomas last played Ulster opposition in Parnell Park

AIB All Ireland Club Championship semi-final 2013

St Thomas’s 1-25 Loughgiel 3-19 AET

A goal from Liam Watson with the last puck of the game earned reigning All-Ireland champions Loughgiel Shamrocks a replay with St Thomas’ when the Galway champions last faced Antrim oppostion at this stage of the competition.

The Galway men looked destined for a place in the All-Ireland decider against Kilcormac-Killoughey when they held a three point lead deep in injury time, in extra time, but Loughgiel were thrown a lifeline when the were award a 20 meter free. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and Watson stepped up to blast the ball through St Thomas’ defensive wall and earn the Shamrocks a replay after a fantastic game of hurling.

The Galway side were fast out of the blocks and lead 0-3 to 0-2 in the early stages but a Liam Watson free and a Joey Scullion point from play saw the Ulster edge ahead, but Kenneth Burke and James Regan’s pointed for St Thomas’ to edge the Galway men ahead once again.

A point from a Conor Cooney 65 put St Thomas’ two points clear before Shay Casey pounced on an error by the St Thomas goalie to put Loughgiel ahad and another point from a Watson free stretched their lead to two, a lead they held to half time as Conor Cooney and Liam Watson exchanged points, which saw the Shamrocks go in 1-7 to 0-8 to the good at the break.

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The Galway chamions hit the first four points of the second half to go two clear again, but Joey Scullion reduced the arrears to one with a fine point from the left. Points by Bernard Burke and Kenneth Burke stretched the St Thomas’s lead to three with 17 minutes remaining, but Scullion responded again with a great point from out near the sideline Lougiel kept in touch.

Loughgiel went back in front when Shay Casey goaled again to see Loughgiel regain the lead and they went two clear when Watson tacked on another point.

Another Cooney free for St Thomas’ left the minimum between the sides with just six minutes of normal time remaining and the game in the balance. It appeared the like Loughgiel would be heading back to Croke Park for another time as the seconds ticked away but Conor Cooney produced a moment of magic for the Galway men to point from an almost impossible angle to level matters at 2-12 to 0-18 to send the game into extra-time.

St Thomas’ took a two point lead in the first half of extra time but once again Loughgiel hit back to level, but the Antrim champions’s hopes’ received a setback just before the end of the first half of extra time when Gerry Murray pounced on a slip by a Loughgiel defender to fire to the net and the Galway champion led by three at the change of ends.

The three point gap was still there as the second half of extra time ticked away, both sides adding two points to their tally and the Shamrocks hold on the Tommy Moore Cup appeared to be slipping. However when they were awards a late free Watson once again did the business and rifled the ball through a packed goalmouth to earn his team a second bit of the cherry.

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One week later the teams met again, this time in Clones when Loughgiel were left to rue missing a host of early chances as St Thomas’ won their way through to the final