Sports
Burke delivers as Corofin footballers gain revenge
COROFIN 0-17
CASTLEBAR MITCHELS 0-14
(After extra-time)
A CLASH of the Titans at Castlebar on Sunday, and in a fierce battle of wills, it was Corofin whose nerve held the strongest when the pressure came on, in an absorbing Connacht club senior football semi-final. As with most showdowns between top teams, only a thin line separated them in the end, with Corofin just that little bit sharper in front of goal and a tad fresher in the legs too during the crucial extra-time period.
When Roscommon referee, Paddy Neilan, sounded the whistle at the end of normal time, the sides were level at 0-11 apiece with Castlebar super-sub, Paddy Stenson, landing the levelling point in the 63rd minute. Maybe, Castlebar’s sixth week of toil in a row took its toll during extra-time on a sticky McHale Park pitch, but yet the Mayo champions won’t need any reminding that they had the chances to win this match.
The home side were at their most wasteful during the first half when their wides total of seven, as compared to nil for Corofin, just proved to be too heavy of a cross to carry over the course of the match. Pressure scores tend to win tight games and when the string was at its most taut towards the end of normal time and during the extra period played, Corofin’s spring-loaded corner forward Ian Burke did some serious business.
Burke – surely the most natural corner forward in the county – curled over a magnificent levelling point in the closing minute to tie the sides at 10 each, before delivering two more crackers in the first period of extra-time, scores that effectively decided the course of the tie.
Corofin were super-efficient during the opening half, landing six clinical points from Kieran Molloy, Gary Sice, Ian Burke, Michael Farragher and Jason Leonard (2) – with just three minutes left in the half, they were 0-5 to 0-1 ahead and in a position of some comfort. The balance of the match though changed in the closing minutes of the half with Corofin not too happy about a couple of close range frees awarded by referee Neilan that were converted by Neil Douglas, while Paddy Durkan popped up with one from play.
A 0-6 to 0-4 lead was a tenuous enough one, especially as Corofin faced into the stiff second half breeze, but on balance – given the wastefulness of the Mitchel’s attack – Kevin O’Brien’s charges were fortunate enough to be two ahead. During that first half, Castlebar’s normally reliable freetaker, Neil Douglas, pulled three placed balls (2 frees and a 45) wide of the posts, with his ground striking not helped by the greasy underfoot conditions.
During that first half, Castlebar’s normally reliable freetaker, Neil Douglas, pulled three placed balls (2 frees and a 45) wide of the posts, with his ground striking not helped by the greasy underfoot conditions. When an early second half free from Gary Sice split the posts, there were grounds for believing that Corofin might pull away, but that score heralded one of Castlebar’s strongest periods of the match.
Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GALWAY United need to guard against any kind of complacency when they make the short hop down the M18 this Friday to take on Treaty United at the Markets Field (7.45pm).
The game is a meeting of the two form teams in the division, and as in previous meetings between the sides, will have an additional edge given the number of former United players in the home side’s ranks, and the pair of Limerick lads playing for United.
There might have been just the eight meetings between the sides since Treaty became the latest iteration to represent Limerick in the League of Ireland in 2021, and while United have yet to lose to the men in the candy-cane strips, there has never been more than a goal in four of their eight wins.
The most recent of those was back in February, when Rob Slevin scored the only goal of the game in Eamonn Deacy Park after a tough battle against a side who made a slow start to the season, before finally finding their groove in the past month.
Having taken just three points from their first six games before finally getting a win against Longford Town, they reverted to type with just one point from their next three games, but are now on a run of four wins on the spin, scoring 12 goals and conceding just one.
Their most recent win was a 3-0 victory away to Longford Town last Saturday, and they could have won by double that against the only side to have beaten United this season. That in itself is a warning.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty
While the Salthill Devon men’s team might have lost their grip on the Connacht Junior Cup that they held for two seasons, the club’s women’s side have picked up the mantle and on Sunday last in Headford were crowned provincial champions with a 4-3 win over Manulla.
Following midweek wins for Maree/Oranmore and Knocknacarra, the stage is now almost set for the semi-finals of the Michael Byrne Cup with Salthill Devon meeting St Bernard’s on Sunday in an outstanding quarter-final, with the winners advancing to a semi-final against Maree/Oranmore, while Colga will face Knocknacarra in the other last four contest.
Just one league issue remains to be decided, with the Championship runners-up position up for grabs, as Dynamo Blues have to win their two remaining games in order to overtake Colemanstown United who have finished their programme.
WOMEN’S CONNACHT CUP FINAL
Salthill Devon 4
Manulla 3
Ellerose O’Flaherty scored twice as Salthill Devon were crowned provincial champions with a win over a Mayo side who were losing in the final for the second year in succession.
Backboned by a number of players who previously had League of Ireland experience with Galway WFC, Devon suffered an early set back when Jess Nolan put Manulla ahead, before O’Flaherty levelled matters with a cracking finish on 20 minutes, which was quickly followed by a long-range free-kick from Aoife Walsh.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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