Soccer
Crackdown on player poaching
The FAI are set to rule in the coming weeks on a second attempt by soccer clubs throughout the city and county to prevent their best players being ‘poached’ by rivals . . . having already rejected one effort last year.
A proposed new rulebook for the Galway FA has been submitted to the FAI for inspection, and the national body’s Legal Director, Sarah O’Shea, has confirmed to the City Tribune that it is in the process of examining the new book to ensure it complies with the FAI’s own rules.
“I am in a position to confirm that the FAI Rules Commission is currently examining the rules sent to us by the Galway FA,” said O’Shea, who is also the Deputy Chief Executive of the FAI.
“This is part of a standard process for our Affiliates to ensure that rules are in compliance with the FAI Rule Book. The FAI has worked with the Galway FA over the last number of months regarding changes to their rules and we will continue to do so, on request.
“Once the rules have been reviewed it will be a matter for the Galway FA to pass the rules at their upcoming AGM,” she said.
Last June, an EGM of clubs affiliated to the Galway FA was held to discuss plans to change some of the rules governing the game in the city and county, and in particular to introduce the so-called Waterford Rule, an inducement rule which aims in layman’s terms to stop clubs poaching the best players from other clubs.
The basic premise of the rule is that the maximum number of players a club can take from the representative District League sides from U-12 up to U-16 is two players in any one year, and for every additional player taken by a club, that club will be liable to a fine of €1,000. That means ‘Club A’ can only take two players in total from across the five age groups, not two from each group.
At the EGM in June, this Waterford Rule was proposed verbatim for the Galway region, with the only difference being the proposed fine was increased from €500 to €1,000. The rule was passed by the vast majority of those in attendance, with only three clubs – believed to be Galway Hibernians, Mervue United and Salthill Devon – voting against it.
As a result of being passed at the EGM, the proposed new rule was then brought to the AGM of the Galway FA in July where it was again passed and ratified, along with other rule changes, to form a new rulebook for the Galway FA.
All that was left was for the new set of rules to be approved by the FAI, but despite the inducement rule being exactly the same as the one in place in Waterford, the FAI threw out the proposed new rule book, and asked that the existing set of rules be operated under for the 2013/14 season while work was carried out on the proposed new rules.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Friday the 13th – unlucky for some – and Galway United will be hoping it is an unlucky night for runaway leaders Shelbourne on Friday evening. Shels, who are currently 10 points clear of second place United, are still unbeaten in this year’s First Division with 12 wins and six draws to their name.
The Tribesmen go into this week’s pivotal fixture after a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Cork City last Friday at Eamonn Deacy Park. The game had a ‘hit-and-run’ feel to it as Colin Healy’s side snatched all three points with ten minutes to go which ended United’s seven-game unbeaten league run.
BY TOM BYRNE
Even so, United replaced Treaty United in second place on goal difference after the Limerick outfit were defeated 4-1 by Cabinteely at the Markets Field.
Shelbourne have been the team to beat this season as they look odds-on to win this season’s First Division with nine games to go. Ian Morris’ side were hampered by a number of Covid cases in their squad for last week’s game against UCD, where they drew 0-0 at the UCD Bowl. It is expected that they will have players returning for their crucial clash against United at Terryland.
The two clubs have faced each other on 75 occasions. Shelbourne being victorious the more often with 39 wins, United defeating the north-Dubliners 17 times and 19 games ending in stalemate. United have hit the Shels net 86 times while the 2019 First Division winners have scored on 132 occasions against United.
The two teams played out a 0-0 draw at Eamonn Deacy Park in the first game this season, while Shelbourne had the upper hand in the reverse fixture when they overcame United 4-0 at Tolka Park in May.
Goal friendly Shels have struck 36 goals in 18 games so far this campaign, with former Shamrock Rovers man Ryan Brennan bagging ten of those. United will look to Wilson Waweru and Ruairi Keating for their main source of goals, with the latter hitting the net on seven occasions this season. Waweru brought his goal tally to six last week when he scored United’s first equalising goal against Cork City.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the soccer preview, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
Galway United 2
Athlone Town 2
GALWAY United had to twice come from behind against basement side Athlone Town on Monday night to snatch a draw that was, on balance, probably a little harsh on the visiting side.
Completely outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, United had an absolute howler from visiting goalkeeper, Aaron Myles, to thank for going into the break on level terms; and then needed an equaliser five minutes from time to claim a draw against a side that came into the game having lost all four games they had played this season.
Alan Murphy’s side already find themselves nine points behind the league leaders just four games into the season, and a major improvement is needed if they are to finish in the top half of the table and inside the play-off spots.
Their central midfield was way off the mark on Monday night – both Maurice Nugent and Sam Warde were hauled ashore before the final whistle – and having abandoned the 4-4-2 formation which delivered some decent results near the end of last season, they are struggling to get quality ball into the opposition box.
With Shane Duggan expected to return to central midfield after suspension for this Saturday’s trip to Cobh Ramblers, it might be time to go with some out-and-out wingers and get some cohesion in the side.
The first couple of half chances on Monday fell to the home side, but Mikey Place didn’t get any power behind his second minute effort; while Marc Ludden was well off target subsequently.
The visitors, who had the opening half’s best player in their ranks in the guise of Galway native, Ronan Manning, went close a couple of times themselves in the ninth minute, United surviving thanks to Cian Murphy getting a block on Adam Lennon’s shot; while Kevin Horgan pulled off a ‘worldie’ to deny Joel Coustrain from the subsequent corner.
By that stage, the visitors were starting to get on top, and they took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute when Manning’s corner from the left was met by Taner Dogan at the back post to head home as the United marking was, not for the first time this season, shambolic at a set-piece.
Tempers were starting to fray a little, with both sides having two players finding their way into the notebook of Dublin referee, Oliver Moran, before United were gifted an equaliser in the 41st minute.
Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune
Paul Corcorcan
GALWAY WFC notched a second win in a row in the Women’s National League when they defeated Limerick 6-1 at the Markets Field on Sunday afternoon.
A McKenna Doyle hat trick and goals from Sadbh Doyle, Chloe Singleton and Aoife Thompson helped the Galway women to a resounding win. Five of the six goals for Galway were assisted by Lynsey McKey during what was a stellar performance by the experienced midfielder.
Galway WFC are back in action at Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow (Saturday, kick off 3pm) when they welcome league leaders Peamount United.
See full match report in City Tribune Sport.
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
