Sports
Classroom reviews helping Connacht to stay top of the pile in Guinness PRO12
By John Ivory
WITH just six games remaining for table-topping Connacht in the Guinness Pro12, Head Coach Pat Lam is relishing the challenge that lies ahead in the coming weeks.
His side recorded an eight-point win over the Ospreys last Saturday at the Sportsground and are enjoying being involved at the right end of the table as the season inches towards its climax.
“Every game, depending on where you are in the table has some significance. The weather starts getting better, the Six Nations have a couple more weeks to go and then it’s all guns blazing.
“It’s a great time of the year. I always look forward to it, it just so happens that we’re in a better place than we’ve ever been.’’
The ‘better place’ Lam alludes to is one point clear of Leinster at the summit of the table, however the eastern province have one game in hand.
Despite the somewhat surprising position they find themselves in – the Ospreys triumph was a record 11th win for Connacht in a season – Lam maintains their target is still attaining a place in top-tier European rugby.
“It’s top 6, but the actual goal is to qualify for Champions Cup. It turns into the top 5 if you haven’t got provinces from the right countries.
“You’ve got to have a Scots team, an Irish team, a Welsh team and an Italian team. There are so many unknowns and that probably is a good thing because that makes us focus on just what we have to do.
“We break it down again and our number one goal every week is to win and get the points. We just focus on winning.’’
Their preparation is something Lam prides himself on and his aim is to operate as close to international level as possible.
By achieving higher standards in training and preparation, he believes it makes performing on match-day that bit easier.
“What we are trying to do here is make sure that the preparation, the attention to detail, the hard work and the way we do things is as close to international rugby as possible.
“If we focus on every day, being on top of that and every one sharing that responsibility, then we have a better chance of replicating it (in matches).’’
A large part of the preparation Connacht now undertakes happens not on the rugby field, but in the confines of the classroom. Learning from mistakes is something that is vital and the intelligence shown by the squad is something that pleases Lam.
Recent weeks have seen the team shut out both the Scarlets and the Ospreys in their quest for a losing bonus point and it’s an obvious improvement from earlier in the campaign.
“The closing out of the game was crucial for us. What we do on the field – we keep it short and sharp. We video everything but the classroom sessions, that’s where the big learning starts. I place a big emphasis on that.
“We can get into training and implement it. The coaching group is doing a good job. Our main advantage is being able to learn fast.’’
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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