Sports
Moycullen and Abbeyknockmoy in intriguing battle for intermediate silverware
MOYCULLEN and Abbeyknockmoy hurling clubs may be riding on the crest of a wave after securing promotion to the senior ranks for 2016, but there is still the matter of who will go up as champions when the pair meet in an intriguing county intermediate decider at Kenny Park, Athenry on Saturday (2pm).
Both chase their third title at this grade, with Moycullen winning their two in 1964 and 2011 and Abbeyknockmoy claiming the honours in 1971 and 1985. Although Moycullen have been installed as slight favourites, in truth, there should be little to separate these two sides.
What may stand to Moycullen is their experience of the occasion in 2011, when they shocked Killimordaly to win the title, and the majority of that starting 15 will again be in action on Saturday. These include Sean Rossa McDermott, Matt Donohoe, Seosamh O Fatharta, Mark, Pat and Phillip Lydon, Eanna Noone, Dan Kelly, Conor Bohan, Niall Mannion and Christopher Hurney.
This is not lost on manager John Faherty. “I think nearly all the team were playing in 2011 and Seamus Conneely and Eric Fox were subs. Apart from that, all of the starting team were involved in 2011 if not actually playing.
“However, it is all on the day. The lads have to be focused. It is knockout hurling; winner takes all. Both teams will be looking to go up as champions and there is also a Connacht series to look forward to and maybe further afield. That is the bonus as going up as champions. You don’t want to leave any doubt in your mind when you do go up.”
With former hero Morgan Darcy – who hurled with Galway and lined out for the club for 23 years, including making an appearance in the 2011 decider – getting involved in the backroom team, it has breathed new life into the set-up. “He is very, very professional. He knows his stuff,” says Faherty.
In addition to the hurling final, many of his players have also the task of preparing for a Connacht club football final just 24 hours later. It is some juggling act. “It will have some impact I suppose because there are a lot of lads involved. You have the likes of Matt Donohue, Conor Bohan and Mark Lydon.
“It is not ideal having to play two games the one weekend – the year is long enough – but that is the situation. When we had a talk about it, the boys said that it is a great situation to be in – to be in a county final on a Saturday and have to play a Connacht semi-final on the Sunday. It is a great reflection on the club and on the lads.”
For more, read this week’s Galway City 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
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.
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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