Seán Loftus (born 1997) is an Irish hurler who plays for Galway Senior Championship club Turloughmore and at inter-county level with the Galway senior hurling team. He is usually deployed as a corner-back, but can also be deployed at midfield.[1]
_(cropped).jpg) Loftus in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Born |
1997 Turloughmore, County Galway, Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Occupation | Student | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Turloughmore | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Galway titles | 0 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
2016– | NUI Galway | ||
| College titles | |||
| Fitzgibbon titles | 0 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2017–2022 | Galway | 9 (0-02) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 2 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
| NHL | 2 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 17:49, 3 January 2018. | |||
Playing career
editPresentation College Athenry
editLoftus attended the Presentation College in Athenry with whom he played hurling at all grades. On 2 March 2014, he was at left wing-back when the college defeated St. Brigid's College from Loughrea by 1-16 to 0-16 to win the Connacht Championship.[2] On 9 March 2015, he scored a point from left wing-back when Presentation College defeated St. Brigid's College by 0-15 to 0-06 to win a second successive Connacht Championship.[3] On 20 February 2016, Loftus scored 1-02 from play when Presentation College secured their third successive Connacht Championship after a 2-17 to 1-16 defeat of Fort Community School.[4]
Turloughmore
editLoftus joined the Turloughmore club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. On 9 November 2013, he lined out as goalkeeper when Turloughmore defeated Liam Mellows in a replay by 1-18 to 1-10 to win the Galway Minor Championship.[5] Loftus switched to an outfield position when Turloughmore retained the championship title in 2014.[6]
Galway
editMinor and under-21
editLoftus made his first appearance for the Galway minor team on 17 August 2014 when he came on as a 27th-minute substitute in a 1-27 to 2-09 All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Limerick.[7] He was eligible for the minor grade again the following year and was appointed captain of the team. On 6 September 2015, Loftus scored a point from left corner-forward when Galway defeated Tipperary by 4-13 to 1-16 in the All-Ireland final.[8]
In 2016, Loftus progressed straight onto the Galway under-21 team. On 10 September 2016, he was at left wing-back when Galway suffered a 5-15 to 0-14 defeat by Waterford in the All-Ireland final.[9]
On 4 July 2018, Loftus was at midfield when Galway defeated Wexford by 4-21 to 2-26 to win their first ever Leinster Championship title.[10]
Senior
editLoftus made his first appearance for the Galway senior hurling team on 5 March 2017 in a 3-31 to 1-11 defeat of Laois in the National Hurling League.[11] On 23 April, he came on as a 70th-minute substitute for Paul Killeen when Galway defeated Tipperary by 3-21 to 0-14 in the 2017 National League final.[12] Loftus made his first championship appearance on 18 June, coming on as a substitute for Adrian Tuohey, in Galway's 0-33 to 0-11 Leinster semi-final defeat of Offaly.[13] He later won his first Leinster Championship medal, as a non-playing substitute, when Galway defeated Wexford by 0-29 to 1-17 in the subsequent final.[14] On 3 September 2017, Loftus was an unused substitute when Galway won their first All-Ireland Championship title in 29 years after a 0-26 to 2-17 defeat of Waterford in the final.[15]
On 8 July 2018, Loftus came on as a 69th-minute substitute for David Burke to win his second Leinster Championship medal after a 1-28 to 3-15 defeat of Kilkenny in the final.[16] In the subsequent All-Ireland final against Limerick on 19 August, Loftus started the game on the bench but was introduced after 60 minutes as a replacement for Johnny Coen. Galway were beaten by 3-16 to 2-18.[17]
Honours
edit- Presentation College, Athenry
- Connacht Colleges Senior Hurling Championship (3): 2014, 2015, 2016
- Turloughmore
- Galway Minor Hurling Championship (2): 2013, 2014
- Galway
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 19 August 2018.
| Team | Year | National League | Leinster | All-Ireland | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | ||
| Galway | 2017 | Division 1B | 4 | 0-00 | 3 | 0-00 | 0 | 0-00 | 7 | 0-00 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0-05 | 4 | 0-02 | 2 | 0-00 | 10 | 0-07 | ||
| Total | 8 | 0-05 | 7 | 0-02 | 2 | 0-00 | 17 | 0-07 | ||
References
edit- ^ "Galway justify their All-Ireland favouritism with clinical Leinster final victory over Wexford". Irish Independent. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ Rooney, Declan (3 March 2014). "Hardiman's goal proves the difference as Athenry hold on". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Niland points way as Athenry prove in a class of their own". Irish Independent. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Athenry revel in three-in-a-row as sharpshooter Niland steals show". Irish Independent. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Mellows minors fall away late on as Turlough make most of reprieve". Connacht Tribune. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Dooley, Alan (25 September 2014). "Turloughmore minors finish in a blaze of glory". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Liam (18 August 2014). "Limerick's power surge shuts down outclassed Tribesmen". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ O'Toole, Fintan (6 September 2015). "Great start for Galway as they lift All-Ireland minor hurling title against Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "All-Ireland U21 HC final: dazzling Deise surge past Tribesmen". The 42. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Fallon, John (4 July 2018). "Sean Bleahene claims Leinster title as Galway see off Wexford in dramatic extra time finish". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "Mannion leads scoring spree as Tribesmen return to full force". Irish Independent. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (23 April 2017). "Galway claim Division One crown with unexpected rout of Tipperary". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ Small, Daragh (18 June 2017). "Galway score a massive 33 points as they cruise past Offaly into Leinster final". The 42. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ O'Brien, Kevin (2 July 2017). "Conor Cooney masterclass leads Galway past Wexford to their first Leinster title since 2012". The 42. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (3 September 2017). "Galway end All Ireland famine with tight win over Waterford at Croke Park". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ Fogarty, John (8 July 2018). "Galway hold their nerve against Kilkenny in Leinster final replay". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (19 August 2018). "Limerick are All Ireland hurling champions for the first time in 45 years following epic victory over Galway". Irish Independent. Retrieved 20 August 2018.