Sports
Canning set to return for Walsh Cup clash with Offaly men
FIRST choice players Joe Canning, Johnny Coen and Jonathan Glynn are all back in contention for starting places on the Galway senior hurling team ahead of their Walsh Cup fixture against Offaly at O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Sunday (2pm).
The Tribesmen got their competitive year off to a winning start when accounting for Westmeath on a scoreline of 1-21 to 0-16 in their low-key Walsh Cup opener in Mullingar last weekend. Tommy Larkins’ Jason Flynn was very much to the fore by hitting 1-12 (0-11 frees).
Also prominent were defenders Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh) and Colm Flynn (Tommy Larkins), Castlegar forward Dean Higgins, St. Thomas’ Eanna Burke – scoring four points from place – and Kilnadeema/Leitrim’s Brian Molloy. All five were making their debuts.
“It (Walsh Cup) is a great opportunity for young players to stake their claim to be honest,” said Galway manager Anthony Cunningham. “You would look at them to step up. Padraig Mannion and Colm Flynn were two new faces in the backs while Gearoid McInerney – who saw some action last year – also played well.
“Up front, we had a lot of new players and that is great to see. Eanna Burke, Brian Molloy and Dean Higgins would be new to the set-up and they slotted in very well. They have been working hard. The more competition we have for places, the better for us.”
For their part, Offaly began their Walsh Cup with a 2-15 to 1-13 victory over Westmeath in early January. Stephen Quirke scored two first half goals for the Faithful county and they led by nine points at the break despite playing into a strong breeze.
While the Lake County battled their way back, buoyed by a Brendan Murtagh goal, to cut the deficit to three in the second period, Offaly, who had Shane Dooley sent off on two yellow cards, hit the last two points to seal the win.
When Galway and Offaly met in the Walsh Cup quarter-final last year, the Tribesmen won by the narrow margin of 1-14 to 1-13. Cunningham expects a close examination again.
“Joe Canning, Johnny Coen and Johnny Glynn, who had been carrying a knock, they will all be pushing for places and it is great to have them back because it will take a big effort against Offaly,” said Cunningham.
He will have to plan, however, without Sarsfields’ Kevin Hynes after he broke a finger against Westmeath. “So, he will probably be out for a couple of weeks. It is disappointing for Kevin because he has put a lot of work in. His fitness is very good and he played a solid game.”
Meanwhile, Cunningham has welcomed the move by Galway Hurling Committee to run off the senior and intermediate championships in group format this year. For the senior, this will consist of two groups of five and two groups of six (22 teams) – the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals– while the intermediate competition consists of two groups of seven, with the top four in each group advancing to the knockout stages.
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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