Sports
Big blow for Connacht as Henshaw heads to Leinster at end of season
By John Ivory
ROBBIE Henshaw will be a Leinster player next season after agreeing a three-year deal with Leo Cullen’s side. The move was confirmed in an IRFU announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
It comes as a major blow to table-topping Connacht who had been hopeful the 22-year-old would extend his stay in Galway, but the switch to the capital has now been made official, ending long-term speculation.
The Athlone native’s reasoning for the move is largely unclear, though playing with Leinster could provide him with a better chance of grabbing a spot on the Lions tour to New Zealand, which takes place in the summer of 2017.
It has also emerged that Henshaw’s immenent departure to Leinster was the player’s own choice despite the IRFU encouraging him to stay at the Sportsground.
Connacht Rugby Head Coach Pat Lam, who was speaking before the move to Leinster was confirmed but after it was known the Irish international would be leaving the West, said it was disappointing to lose a player like Henshaw but the group would remain unaffected.
“I think it’s disappointing but it’s the nature of professional rugby. Everything we do is around the collective and Robbie is a part of the 2015/16 team and everything we’re doing this year and the years previous.
“We’re always disappointed if a player is going to go, or chooses to go, but I totally respect it because there’s so many factors that come into it, that’s the game we’re in.’’
The loss of the home-grown Henshaw to a Pro 12 rival has upset many in the province. The frustration is something Connacht fans are well accustomed to as Henshaw follows the likes of Mike McCarthy, Ian Keatley and Sean Cronin to other parts of the country in recent seasons.
This frustration is not something shared by Lam who was quick to point out that Henshaw is not unique in his decision to leave his home province, and also that players of his calibre do not guarantee success.
“Of course that’s what makes it disappointing (losing a home-grown talent) but he isn’t the first Connacht, Leinster, Ulster, Munster player that has left their home province and he won’t be the last.
“Everything is around the collective, making sure we are successful and while supporters are disappointed, I’ve coached teams, I’ve played in teams where we’ve had world-class players, world-class home-grown players, but that doesn’t guarantee you success.
“What guarantees you success is your structures, your culture, the game you play, the teamwork everyone does, so ultimately I know fans will be disappointed, fans – what they want is a successful team and that’s what we’re doing at the moment.
“Robbie’s part of that this year too, not only this year. We want to continue building on this year on year so that Connacht rugby is successful.’’
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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