Castlegar, the most prolific winners of the Galway senior hurling championship with seventeen titles but without a crown since 1984, staved off fears of relegation with a 2-16 to 0-13 win over Ballinderreen at the weekend.

OFF THE MARK... Galway star Kerrill Wade fired seven points to help Sarsfi elds to a first win in the Galway SHC. Photo: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE

In the process Castlegar, semi-finalists last year for the first time in two decades, qualify for the knockout stages of the championship, condemning Ballinderreen to the relegation dogfight by virtue of a superior points difference.

Once again Castlegar's hero was Ger Farragher who scored 2-8, all but two points coming from placed balls. They led by 1-10 to 0-4 at the break and while Sean Coen, Keith Carr and Shane Coen inspired a Ballinderreen comeback, Farragher's second goal sealed the issue.

They will now go on to meet All-Ireland club champions Portumna in the preliminary quarter-finals in September, with Ollie Canning's men finishing their group games with a 100% record after a 0-16 to 0-12 win over Turloughmore.

Damien Hayes shot seven points and Joe Canning hit five while Turloughmore, for whom Cathal Moore scored five points, will now anxiously await the outcome of Thursday's clash between Sarsfields and Carnmore to see if they are in relegation trouble.

Sarsfields scored their first win of the campaign when they defeated Kiltormer by 1-12 to 1-5 in a clash between former All-Ireland club champions.

Kerrill Wade scored seven points to put Sarsfields in the driving seat before they sealed victory with a Sean Kelly goal. David Hayes had a consolation goal for Kiltormer.

Athenry, no strangers themselves to All-Ireland glory, completed their group with a 100% record when they defeated 2006 county champions Loughrea by 1-14 to 2-9.

Athenry led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time and a Cormac Cloonan goal after 46 minutes extended their lead before Loughrea rallied and goals from Johnny Maher and Johnny O'Loughlin ensured a tight finish.

An Ollie Fahy goal was decisive as Gort built up a 1-10 to 0-7 interval lead against a disappointing Craughwell side before going on to win by 1-21 to 0-12, with Niall Healy shooting all but three points of understrength Craughwell's tally.

Intermediate champions Tommie Larkins, with three wins from three outings, needed an injury-time point from Colm Flynn to secure a 0-14 to 1-11 draw against last year's finalists Kinvara.

David Huban, who finished with 1-5, helped Kinvara open up a 1-5 to 0-7 interval lead, but their hopes of a second win were dashed by Flynn's late equaliser as Kinvara drew for the second time. Clarinbridge, having lost their opening group game to Tommie Larkins, made it three wins from three with a 2-24 to 2-12 drubbing of a Beagh side who have now lost three on the spin.

A David Donoghue goal helped Clarinbridge to a 1-12 to 0-7 interval lead and they built on it in the second-half with Mark Kerins finishing with 0-11.

A Beagh revival saw Kevin Keehan rattle home two goals in the space of a minute before Enda Collins responded with a goal for Clarinbridge.

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