Sports
Corrib Rangers return to winning ways as they chase first ever title
Premier Division leaders Corrib Rangers put recent losses behind them as they returned to winning ways with a crucial 2-1 win over St Bernard’s at Westside on Wednesday evening.
Substitute David Smith notched the crucial late match winner, just five minutes after his introduction, as the table toppers moved four points clear from the chasing pack of St Bernard’s, Athenry and Salthill Devon. The win puts Brendan O’Connor’s side in a strong position to win a first ever title.
Corrib Rangers enjoyed their fair share of good fortune on Wednesday evening though as goalkeeper Conor Sweeney produced some terrific saves, while poor finishing on behalf of the Abbeyknockmoy side was to prove frustrating for them.
It was the home side who broke the deadlock when Derek O’Brien recycled a corner and from his second delivery central defender Eric Browne fired a close range volley past Kevin Ruane for a 1-0 advantage.
The lead was to prove rather short-lived as on 31 minutes, Jason Finn set up Colin Tracey and, while the newcomer had still a lot of work to do, he made it 1-1 with a shot past Sweeney.
After the break, Smith, just after his introduction, gathered a Brian Connolly pass and drilled an effort beyond Ruane to clinch the 2-1 victory.
While the other high profile contest between Athenry and Salthill Devon did not take place, Mervue United recovered from going a goal down to defeat Colemanstown United 3-1.
Darragh Kelly, Alex Frank (penalty) and Barry Moran were all on the mark for the visitors, after Shane Bailey had given the home side an early advantage.
Meanwhile, last weekend, a brave Hibernians effort just fell short as they lost out 2-1 to St. Bernard’s in Bohermore. Colin Tracey forced home the winner on 84 minutes after, earlier in the half, Eoghan Roche and Keith Ward exchanged penalties.
Elsewhere, a depleted Mervue United went down to Athenry 1-0 – Gary Forde netting a penalty – to leave their title ambitions in tatters while a Shane Concannon hat-trick and a Ciaran Duggan brace eased Corrib Celtic to a 5-2 away win over Tuam Celtic.
In their scheduled Friday night fixture, Salthill Devon collected all the points on offer when Colemanstown United were unable to field.
FIRST DIVISION
West United maintained their clear advantage at the top of the First Division, courtesy of two wins in succession. In midweek, goals by Geoffrey Power and ‘Mixer’ Devanney helped them to a 2-0 victory over Renmore and they followed this up with a 3-2 away success over St Patrick’s on Sunday.
While the home side enjoyed an interval advantage following a Shane O’Brien finish, the visitors eventually got into the game in the second half as goals by James Ryan, Sean Keogh and Power secured the win. Rory Glynn got the second for St. Patrick’s from a free kick.
Having not won a single game from their opening 13 contests, East United have really turned matters around in their two most recent outings, as two wins have thrown them a lifeline in their quest to get out of the relegation zone.
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.
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.
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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
