Sports
Bane inspires Caherlistrane to surprise first round win
Caherlistrane 0-13
Milltown 1-8
This much-anticipated first round clash delivered on some of its promise with Caherlistrane producing a stirring fightback in the second half. With Cormac Bane in fine form, Stephen Faulkner’s side defied the pre-match odds to get the better of their local rivals.
Milltown were six points up early in the second half but they allowed their opponents to claw their way back into the contest and by the time Diarmuid Blake was sent off with ten minutes to go, Caherlistrane’s momentum was all-but-impossible to break.
It was Milltown who stormed out of the blocks at the beginning, opening the scoring with a goal inside 24 seconds. Former intercounty player James Kavanagh won the throw-in and played a one-two with Diarmuid Blake before finding himself through on goal. The midfielder scuffed his shot but the ball landed right at the feet of Cathal Blake, who stabbed it past Rory Conlon.
Blake’s height was also causing problems for the Caherlistrane defence early on and the full-forward turned provider a couple of minutes later as Mike McWalters put Milltown four points to the good.
Three scores in as many minutes brought Caherlistrane back into the contest by the ten minute mark with Cormac Bane at the centre of much of the good work. Conor Faulkner opened his side’s account with a half-volley after a Bane free had dropped in around the square. Bane then kicked the next two scores himself, including a fine effort after cutting in from the left-wing.
Milltown pulled away again, however, hitting the four points without reply, Mark Hehir and Damien Brennan sharing the scoring duties. Both of Hehir’s scores came from placed balls while Brennan was proving a threat from deep, attacking from midfield to land both of his points.
Caherlistrane had gone nearly 20 minutes without scoring at this stage but, while Pat Madden put a decent goal chance wide on 28 minutes, Barry McCabe popped up to land a much needed score just before the break, leaving four points between the sides, 1-5 to 0-4.
Michael Martin had been relatively subdued in the first 30 minutes but he opened his account 30 seconds into the second half and when another Mark Hehir free put Milltown six points up a minute later, they looked to be on their way to victory. The tide of the game switched soon after, however, and Miltown would only score another point in the remaining 28 minutes of the half.
Two Cormac Bane frees, from the exact same spot 21m out, got the Caherlistrane comeback going before Conor Faulkner bagged his second point of the day in the 40th minute. Milltown then lost John Martin to a black card for a trip with Eric Monahan pointing the resulting free from the right-wing.
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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