Sports
Annaghdown juniors come up trumps in trench warfare
Annaghdown 1-8
An Spidéal 0-7
THIS was trench warfare: a bruising December battle, in which Annaghdown just about had the better hurlers to edge out An Spidéal in hand-to-hand combat to secure intermediate status for 2015.
It really was a hard fought victory, slugged out in mucky underfoot conditions, and with a bitterly cold wind in Loughrea . . . far from ideal for hurling but given it is two weeks out from Christmas, the weather, and consequently quality of play, could have been far worse.
Annaghdown were the better team, that’s for sure, but their scoring conversion rate was poor, which meant An Spidéal hung in there and always had a chance, making for a tense finale to this county junior ‘A’ decider.
The quality of play was disappointing at times but it was good-spirited, and there was no shortage of commitment and endeavour from both sides in tough conditions.
It was an all-round team effort that carried Michael Geoghegan’s charges over the line but three men in particular stood out from the crowd.
Shane Collier was a rock at full-back, leading by example, he hurled out of his skin in the first half in particular. And though at times he was left exposed in one-on-one situations after the break, when there were huge swathes of space in the Annaghdown defence, captain Collier was probably the best player on show.
The half-forward line did damage, too, and the two protagonists that led the charge were Cathal Gaffney, who got through a mountain of work despite not making the score sheet and Damien Comer, who picked off two crucial points in a busy and productive hour of hurling.
The decisive score, the game’s only goal, came five minutes before the break. Annaghdown midfielder Fergal O’Doherty fed Mathias Coleman, who drove it past An Spidéal’s Michael Ó Duínn – his defenders complained that it hit the side-netting and went in, but the umpires confirmed it had squeaked inside the upright and the goalkeeper.
That left it 1-3 to 0-3 in favour of Annaghdown at half-time but really they should have been further ahead. In the opening half hour Annaghdown were dominating possession and winning puck-outs at a rate of three to one; they really were all over An Spidéal but failed to make it count on the scoreboard.
Full-forward Niall Kinneen opened the scoring with a white flag inside the first minute but wasteful Annaghdown hit five wides in the opening seven minutes, which dented confidence.
Incredibly, despite being on the back-foot, An Spidéal took the lead with two quick points from Fergal Ó Mainín (free) and Cillín Ó hEochaidh.
Annaghdown continued to waste opportunities but they regained the initiative with a pointed free from Jonathan Comer, and one from play from his younger brother Damien, despite a fine initial block down from centre-back Micheál Ó Curraoin.
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.
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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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