Sports
Controversial finale earns Loughrea unlikely reprieve
St. Thomas’ 0-21
Loughrea 2-15
WHEN this quarter-final is recalled in years to come, it will be remembered for the point that never was. Had referee Ger O’Connor waited another three seconds before blowing his final whistle, James Regan’s shot would have made it over the bar on time and St. Thomas’ would now be preparing for a county semi-final.
For those of us in Athenry on Saturday, O’Connor’s decision to blow the final whistle as Regan’s effort was halfway on its route over the bar, is one of the most incredible moments we’ll ever see on a GAA pitch. The scoreboard in Kenny Park remained at 0-21 to 2-15 after the final whistle went and O’Connor was escorted away as a mass of players, team officials, supporters and stewards engulfed the field.
The clock in Kenny Park read ’34:49’, which tells us that O’Connor played almost five full minutes of added time. Now, there were a number of opportunities for the whistle to have been blown in the minutes before the referee actually did call a halt to proceedings, but it’s fair to say that those added minutes were helter-skelter.
And while it is nice to be talking about hurling again considering all the managerial upheaval in the county of late, controversy and Galway hurling seem to be familiar bedfellows this weather. While it was just circumstance that the biggest talking from the weekend’s quarter-finals involves the club that Galway manager Anthony Cunningham hails from, there is probably a touch of irony in there too.
In the cold light of day, St. Thomas’ shouldn’t have needed a last-gasp point to win them this game. They were seven points in front at one stage of the first half, six up at half-time, and still six ahead of Loughrea with 54 minutes gone. Enter Kenneth Colleran to the fray, because his goals in the 54th and 60th minutes salvaged a draw for Loughrea in the most unlikeliest of circumstances.
That’s not to take anything away from Loughrea, who deserve huge credit for battling on through the second half. In the absence of their two spiritual leaders Johnny Coen (hand injury) and Johnny Maher (leg injury), some of their young guns stepped up. Loughrea just refused to giove and last Saturday, it was the likes of Colleran, Emmet Mahony, Neil Keary, Sean Sweeney, Paul Hoban, Oisin Coyle and Damien McClearn who led the charge.
Keary scored four and five points in either half, seven from placed balls, but his contribution exceeded that, as he gave All-Ireland minor winner Fintan Burke plenty of food for thought in the second period. Same with Emmet Mahony, who went to centre-half forward, scored two points, and lessened the impact Darragh Burke was able to exert on the game.
Perhaps Thomas’ goalkeeper Patrick Skehill should have got a stronger hurl to Colleran’s first goal, but he was at fault for the Loughrea man’s second. Skehill hesitated after a long delivery from Paul Hoban landed in the square, and the hesitation gave Colleran just enough time to rob Skehill and tap the sliotar into an empty net.
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.
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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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