In a triumphant turn of events at Nowlan Park last Sunday, Thomastown earned their first Kilkenny Senior Hurling title since 1946. With a remarkable transformation from intermediate to champion status in a span of 12 months, Thomastown succeeded in defying the stronghold of past champions and All-Ireland finalists, O’Loughlin Gaels.
Thomastown’s captain, Jay Burke, celebrated their win by expressing that the year 2024 will “forever be remembered as blue” by his teammates and future panellists. The newly crowned champions also had to display impressive resilience against the formidable defence of the O’Loughlin Gaels, but tackled this challenge head-on without any visible impact of their less experienced stature.
Leading the charge for Thomastown was John Donnelly, who had a remarkable round, scoring the initial point, four by half-time, and providing an exceptional assist for his cousin, Stephen Donnelly to score the team’s fifth point. This endeavours resulted in a comfortable 0-5 to 0-1 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Showcasing consistency, he set in motion the second half with an excellent pass to team-mate Robbie, enabling Thomastown to extend their lead to 0-10 to 0-4.
However, things were not as smooth for Paddy Deegan of O’Loughlin’s who found it challenging to establish his presence amidst young player Colm Treacy, and All-Star full back Huw Lawlor. Additionally, due to the harsh weather conditions, the champions’ efforts to adapt were inadequate, leading to a point for Stephen Donnelly and a score of 0-11 to 0-4, following an unforeseen error from another All-Star, Mikey Butler.
During the second half of the match, with four minutes already elapsed, the entire audience of 9,465 spectators were heavily anticipating a win for Thomastown. Having seized the first half with a score of 0-9 to 0-4, and subsequently dominating the second half with a lead of 0-9 to 0-3, they were the clear favourites.
Their victory was marked by an impressive margin of eleven points, a significant achievement considering the challenge of scoring on that particular day. However, the newly crowned champions also had opportunities for more goals, which were skillfully thwarted by Stephen Murphy’s outstanding saves against shots by Treacy and Rory Connellan, and a forceful block from Lawlor.
Thomastown established a strong grip in the centre of the field, largely owing to the efforts of veteran and ex-county player Jonjo Farrell, who scored 0-2 and was ably supported by Peter McDonald. The truth is, there was scarcely an area in the pitch where Thomastown didn’t exert control.
The team’s goalkeeper for the day, Paul Barron, an understudy to the injured regular Diarmuid Galway showed remarkable calm, backing an assertive and dominant defence where the physical prowess and athleticism of Zach Bay Hammond set the precedent.
The defeated champions appeared overwhelmed by the exertions of the past year. Occasional threats surfaced with the quick moves of Owen Wall, but sustained attack efforts were largely absent.
John Donnelly emphasised the physical resilience demonstrated by Thomastown in response to their daunting environment. He reflected on the physicality of previous finals and shared doubts about competing at senior level when the team was still intermediate. However, reliving their ascendancy to the county’s top team brought a sense of exultation.
Thomastown, who hadn’t reached a final in 36 years, capitalised on the momentum gained from their successful run in the previous year’s All-Ireland Intermediate Championship, propelling them into an illustrious season. Donnelly fondly recalled his finest moments in hurling during their victory at the intermediate level, reminiscing on the trips to Wexford, Newry and Wicklow and the thrill offered by supportive fans who always turned up. He expressed a desire to experience such an exciting journey all over again.
The upcoming Leinster Championship will now feature new competitors, previously dominated by Kilkenny-based teams in past seasons. The team now set to face off against the championship teams from Westmeath – either Lough Lene Gaels or Castletown Geoghegan, whose finals have been moved to a later date due to an unforeseen disagreement.
The current lineup of Thomastown, includes players P Barron, P Connellan, J Burke as Captain, N Kirwan, ZB Hammond, E Donnelly, B Staunton, P McDonald (scored 0-1), J Farrell (scored 0-2), R Donnelly (scored 0-8, 6f), J Donnelly (scored 0-4), L Connellan, S Donnelly (scored 0-2), C Treacy and R Connellan (scored 0-1). Substitutes include T O’Hanrahan replacing Treacy (at 54 minutes), D Prendergast for P Connellan (60 min) and J Holden for S Donnelly (64 min).
On the other side, O’Loughlin Gaels team consists of S Murphy, T Forristal, H Lawlor, M Butler, D Fogarty, P Deegan, J Molloy, J Ryan (scored 0-1), J Nolan, F Mackessy, M Bergin acting as Captain and scoring (0-3, 1f), C Kelly, S Bolger, O Wall (scored 0-2) and C Heary (scored 0-1). The replacements are P Butler for Nolan (35 minutes), S Johnston for Bolger (40 min), R Buckley for Kelly (52 min). The match was officiated by Referee D Hughes of Barrow Rangers.