Sports
Blues in relegation trouble after disastrous home loss
Galwegians 10
Terenure College 14
GALWEGIANS suffered another agonising loss when they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in this tense Division 1A encounter against fellow strugglers Terenure College at Crowley Park on Saturday.
This was a clash between second-from-bottom and third-from-bottom, as the visitors Terenure went into this contest a point to the good after the previous game round when they overhauled the Blues. In truth, this was a game which had the haunting prospect of relegation hovering over both teams, and it showed in a very edgy and nervous contest where the fear of losing was palpable on both sides.
Galwegians had a slight wind advantage in the first half and they looked the more threatening early on, dominating territory. However their game was littered with errors, and any time they got into a promising position it came unstuck, with their set-piece and lineout in particular malfunctioning at the wrong time. Also they were being pinged regularly by referee Peter Fitzgibbon at the breakdown as the visiting defence held sway.
The home side’s cause was not helped by an unfortunate clash on 20 minutes between influential centre Brian Murphy and Terenure full-back James O’Donoghue, with Murphy departing the scene prematurely. Also they were unlucky to lose another key player in open-side Josh Pim who took an early knock.
Having soaked up the early pressure, it was the visitors who struck first when they scored after what was their first serious attack of the game. When a smart breakout by right-wing Jake Swaine pierced the Wegians rearguard, Terenure sucked in the scrambling defence before releasing left-wing Matthew Burke who dived over in the opposite corner. Swaine then landed an excellent conversion to give his side a precious 7-0 lead.
One thing the Blues have never lacked all season is heart, and they took the game again to the opposition. Their pressure was finally rewarded on 39 minutes when a chip through by out-half Aidan Moynihan took a somewhat fortunate deflection, landing perfectly into the path of substitute winger Alan McMahon, who took his chance well to dive over in the left corner. Moynihan then landed an inch-perfect conversion into the breeze to square the game.
The visitors did have their chances to regain the lead in first-half stoppage time. First Swaine was off target with a long-range penalty attempt, before Burke knocked on with the line at his mercy on the stroke of half-time.
Terenure upped the ante after the break and were dominating the territory stakes in the third quarter. They were playing a patient game working through the phases, but they met a solid wall of Wegians defence who also kept their discipline to not concede any penalties within kickable range.
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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