St Thomas reach All-Ireland final after dramatic Ballygunner shoot-out win

As far as dramatic comebacks go, David Burke just about nailed it, sending St Thomas' through to next month’s AIB All-Ireland club SHC final with a remarkable penalty shoot-out match-winner.

Galway’s 2017 All-Ireland winning skipper was only starting his first game of the club campaign after a cruciate knee ligament injury but certainly made his mark.

With top-scorer Conor Cooney, Darragh Burke and Eanna Burke slotting their penalties in a tense shoot-out, and just one more successful conversion required to see off Ballygunner, Burke took on the responsibility and duly delivered.

It capped a strong showing from the veteran midfielder who will surely be stiff and sore after this epic evening.

Not that that will bother him as he enjoys the Christmas break with an All-Ireland final against O’Loughlin Gaels or Cushendall to look forward to on 20/21 January.

It’s a relatively rare semi-final win for six-in-a-row Galway champions St Thomas’, the 2013 All-Ireland winners, who had only previously won twice at this stage, and both times against northern opposition.

As recently as last winter they came up short of Dunloy at the semi-final stage but it’s heartbreak on this occasion for Ballygunner, the three-in-a-row Munster champions. Now they’re the ones cursing their poor record in semi-finals with this loss amounting to their fourth in five attempts.

St Thomas’, seven weeks on from claiming their eighth Galway SHC title, were boosted before the throw-in by confirmation of Burke’s availability at midfield, wearing number 19.

He had only been fit enough for a short cameo late in the 29 October Galway SHC final win over Turloughmore.

Buoyed also by a vocal travelling support, St Thomas’ were at it from the word go and had the sliotar in