Lally impresses as Gort knock out Tommie Larkins

Gort 1-24   Tommie Larkins 2-13

A MAGNIFICENT seven points from Gort forward Greg Lally, normally a defender, ensured Gort’s unbeaten run in the Galway Senior Hurling Championship and condemned Tommie Larkins to the role of disappointed onlookers for the remainder of the county cup race.

In all respects, Larkins sealed their own fate when falling to Pádraig Pearses in the second round and when news came to Loughrea that in another group shock, Moycullen had accounted for Pearses, the pain for Larkins was even more pronounced.
Larkins started proceedings in positive fashion led by county minor Jason Flynn at the edge of the Gort square as he, along with Paddy Moroney, shared the opening three points for the 1971 county champions. Gort kept in contact even though they were finding it more difficult to engineer scores, depending on frees from the reliable Gerry Quinn. Jason Flynn struck for the Tommie Larkins goal after 16 minutes as his side surged 1-7 to 0-5 clear.
Gort hit a number of wides but hit the last four scores of the first half as Greg Lally began to find the target along with Keith Killilea and Gerry Quinn. Gort began the second half with a number of positional changes, which included putting Aidan Harte at centre-forward.
Once more, Tommie Larkins took the initiative and when substitute Michael Garvey flicked a loose ball to the Gort net, they went four clear once more. Within a minute, Gort had a clear-cut goal chance but Gerry Quinn hit the ground effort inches wide. Kevin Hooban scored two tremendous second-half scores allied to further efforts from Paddy Moroney, Stephen Page, Niall Kelly and Jason Flynn.
Gort dominated the last 12 minutes as Keith Killilea struck for their only goal. Albert Mullins, who was now operating on the 40’, was beginning to control matters for Gort. Greg Lally, who now moved at midfield, hit four second-half scores including three in the last 10 minutes as Gerry Quinn struck for half a dozen second-half scores to seal an ultimately comfortable win.
Best for Gort were Greg Lally, Gerry Quinn, Albert Mullins in the second half when moved to centre-forward and Aidan Harte in the last quarter. Andy Coen, Michael Cummins and Jason Grealish were others to shine for the winners. Tommie Larkin’s had solid displays from Jason Flynn, Paddy Moroney, Darra Starr, Eamonn Hayes in the first half, Declan Garvey and Kevin Hooban.

Gort: Peter Cummins, Conor Helebert, Andy Coen, Michael Cummins, Sean Forde, Jason Grealish, Wayne Walsh, Martin Nestor, Aidan Harte (0-1), Greg Lally (0-7), Paul Killilea (0-1), Richard Cummins (0-1), Keith Killilea (1-3), Albert Mullins (0-1), Gerry Quinn (0-10).
Tommie Larkins: Darra Starr, James Rohan, Seamus Jones, Roderick Whyte, Declan Garvey, Eamonn Hayes, Eugene Gorman, Colm Flynn, Peter English, Paddy Moroney (0-3), Kevin Hooban (0-2), Ger Kelly, Stephen Page (0-1), Jason Flynn (1-5), Niall Kelly (0-2).
Subs: Ciarán Fahy for Whyte (inj), David Hickey for Flynn, Michael Garvey (1-0) for Hickey, Colm Flynn for English.

Quarter finalists

THE eight quarter-finalists in the Galway Senior Hurling Championship have been finalised following the last round of games completed over the weekend. Turloughmore, Portumna, Gort, Pádraig Pearses, Mullagh, Castlegar, Loughrea and St Thomas’ qualified from the four groups of four. The teams that failed to reach the knockout stages include Beagh, Tommie Larkins, Moycullen, Sarsfield’s, Kinvara, Athenry, Tynagh/Abbey/Duniry and Craughwell. The quarter-final slots in the Intermediate Hurling Championships have also been decided.