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]

Seán Loftus
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

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Presentation College Athenry

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Loftus 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

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Loftus 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

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Minor and under-21

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Loftus 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

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Loftus 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

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Presentation College, Athenry
Turloughmore
  • Galway Minor Hurling Championship (2): 2013, 2014
Galway

Career statistics

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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

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  1. ^ "Galway justify their All-Ireland favouritism with clinical Leinster final victory over Wexford". Irish Independent. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  2. ^ Rooney, Declan (3 March 2014). "Hardiman's goal proves the difference as Athenry hold on". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Niland points way as Athenry prove in a class of their own". Irish Independent. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Athenry revel in three-in-a-row as sharpshooter Niland steals show". Irish Independent. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Mellows minors fall away late on as Turlough make most of reprieve". Connacht Tribune. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  6. ^ Dooley, Alan (25 September 2014). "Turloughmore minors finish in a blaze of glory". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  7. ^ Kelly, Liam (18 August 2014). "Limerick's power surge shuts down outclassed Tribesmen". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "All-Ireland U21 HC final: dazzling Deise surge past Tribesmen". The 42. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "Mannion leads scoring spree as Tribesmen return to full force". Irish Independent. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  12. ^ McGoldrick, Seán (23 April 2017). "Galway claim Division One crown with unexpected rout of Tipperary". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ McGoldrick, Seán (3 September 2017). "Galway end All Ireland famine with tight win over Waterford at Croke Park". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  16. ^ Fogarty, John (8 July 2018). "Galway hold their nerve against Kilkenny in Leinster final replay". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  17. ^ 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.