Sports
Tuam men leave it behind as Sice salvages late equalizer
Corofin 0-11
Tuam Stars 1-8
WHILE Saturday’s result may not have been the most high profile draw of the weekend, this senior football quarter final ended in just as dramatic a fashion as Corofin clawed their way back from the abyss with three points in the final five minutes to deny Tuam Stars a famous victory.
Gary Sice’s leveller after the clock had just ticked beyond the hour mark drew a huge roar from the Corofin contingent in Tuam Stadium. You could have been forgiven for thinking they had just claimed another county title such was the decibel level reached, yet the sense of relief was palpable for the reigning All-Ireland club champions.
A game that appeared to be meandering towards its inevitable conclusion a few minutes into the second half changed utterly when Corofin’s Kevin Murphy picked up a second yellow card and headed for the sideline. Corofin led by two at that stage after turning the tide in their favour in the ten minutes before the interval.
Tuam’s level of intensity and clinical finishing had caused plenty of trouble for Corofin in the opening half, but Stephen Rochford’s side began to control the aerial duels from around the 20 minute mark and turned a 0-4 to 0-1 deficit into a 0-6 to 0-5 half time advantage. The signs were ominous for the “home” side but they were at least putting up a far better showing than their 2014 endeavours.
Once Murphy departed, though, the Stars gained the initiative but made unforced errors when the chances arose to pull clear. The game was delicately poised at 0-8 apiece when Gary O’Donnell struck for what looked the game-defining goal on 53 minutes, rifling in a rebound after Conor McWalter’s shot had been well saved.
The pressure was now all on Corofin to work out how to reel Tuam Stars in – they already had 12 wides to their name and would end up with 14. There was no doubting they had the talent to do it, but still the manner in which they accomplished the feat left the large attendance spellbound and Tuam Stars wondering how they had left this one behind them.
Corofin’s Jason Leonard contrived to place a relatively easy free wide which gave Tuam further hope that this was their day, but Ronan Steede, one of Corofin’s standout players throughout, soon pointed. Martin Farragher had only come on the field five minutes earlier after his summer in the United States, but he then kicked a magnificent point from 40 yards to leave the minimum in it with five minutes to play.
Tuam had possession then lost it, Corofin kicked another wide, before the chance arose that will probably haunt the Stars for quite some time were they not to advance in the replay. After Cian McNamara broke the ball in midfield, Conor Rhatigan fed Mikey Mannion in space and the pacy full forward darted goalwards.
The chance was there to tap over a point, leave Corofin chasing two scores to level but Mannion sensed a goal was there for the taking. As Thomas Healy rushed out, Mannion handpassed to his left to the overlapping McWalter, but Healy had read the pass and reacted excellently to smother the substitute’s effort.
For more, read 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.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
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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.
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.
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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