Connacht Tribune
Inconsistent Galway blow a winning hand against Meath
Meath 1-13
Galway 0-15
IT turned into a bit of a dogfight in Páirc Tailteann on Sunday, with the more streetwise home side leaving it late to secure a hard-fought win.
Not only did Meath want it more – they needed it more. That was abundantly clear. A loss would have plunged Andy McEntee’s charges into Division Two relegation trouble. This one-point result now means mathematically they’re back in the mix for elevation to the top flight, and it also sows doubts about Galway’s promotional push.
A Meath victory looked implausible with 10 minutes or so to go. Kilkerrin/Clonberne’s Shane Walsh had just kicked his side’s thirteenth point of the day, from distance, which came hot on the heels of an impressive white flag from Paul Conroy.
Galway had rediscovered their mojo, their tails were up, and Walsh’s was their fifth score on the trot without reply, having wrestled control of the midfield sector and kick-outs.
After the visitors turned a four points half-time deficit (0-4 to 0-8) into a three points advantage (0-13 to 0-10), it looked for all the world that Galway would kick for home, and Meath would settle for an honourable defeat.
Perhaps they thought they had it won. But Meath had other notions. Backs firmly against the wall, their survival instinct kicked-in in the last 10 minutes, when the Royals outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-2.
The game’s decisive score and only goal came from the boot of Donal Lenihan, a forward with genuine quality who continuously spooked the Galway rearguard. Centre-forward Cillian O’Sullivan created the opening with an inch-perfect pass to Lenihan, who turned defender Declan Kyne too easily, and struck a rasper, which gave goalkeeper Rory Lavelle no chance.
The goal wasn’t inevitable but in fairness it was coming. Just seconds earlier Galway looked exposed when Kyne had no option but to foul Sean Tobin close in, and the substitute tapped over the free himself to narrow the gap.
Those two sucker punches inside a minute turned the game on its head and really put it up to the Tribesmen. Substitute Johnny Heaney pointed to narrow the gap to the minimum, after a move that started when full-back David Walsh had blocked down a shot at the other end.
Galway tried hard but failed to clinch the equalising score – Conroy sent a difficult free wide, and Danny Cummins, who was lively upon his introduction, mishit an effort that went harmlessly off-target, before being black carded with corner back Donncha Tobin for ‘handbags’.
Galway probably deserved a draw, on the balance of play, and when they look back at the video, they will have regrets over missed chances earlier on.
Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
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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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht 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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
