Sports
Defending champions suffer first defeat of the season
Two weeks ago, Corrib Celtic had FAI Chief Executive John Delaney visit their ever improving grounds in Annaghdown; and a week later, they pushed Mervue United hard, only for a late collapse to undo a lot of good earlier work.
On Sunday last, they caused somewhat of an upset with a 2-1 home win over defending Western Hygiene Premier Division champions, St Bernard’s. That outcome positions them as joint league leaders along with Athenry, Mervue United and West United in early-season jockeying for position.
All the scoring action was compacted into the opening half as Brian Burke and Shane Concannon provided the assists for Chris Greaney and Laurence Forde to put the home side two up, with a quick three-minute brace of goals.
It was an occasion when St Bernard’s were missing a number of regulars, but despite that, they pulled one back when Darren Finn finished off a Jason Finn free-kick before the break. The second-half saw the visitors create the greater scoring threat, but Darren Finn and Shane King could not apply the finishes required when chances presented themselves on the resumption.
Colemanstown United were hanging on to a slender advantage against Corrib Rangers as the game entered additional time, but Sean O’Boyle was to ruin the home side hopes of two home wins in succession as he scrambled a late equaliser for a 2-2 draw.
The city side were picking up their first point of the season, and had to come from behind twice in order to do so. Scoreless at the break, it was Colemanstown who sourced an early breakthrough when Tom Flannery provide the pass that picked out Kerill Hardiman, and he fired the opener past Mark Walsh.
The equaliser was somewhat fortuitous as a John O’Brien free-kick evaded both friend and foe in the box before going beyond the reach of Niall Gelston to tie up matters at 1-1.
The home side regained their advantage when Alan Finn cut in from the flank and cracked home a terrific finish; and while Rangers had some opportunities, it looked like the home side would hold on, until O’Boyle’s late intervention secured a draw for the visitors.
In the only other Premier League game played, West United were commanding 4-0 winners over a Salthill Devon side that appear to have totally lost their way this season.
Aided by the considerable elements, the home side were two up at the break, as an Aidan Coyle free-kick and a Geoffrey Power finish gave them a merited half-time advantage. The second-half should have seen Salthill Devon dominate, and while they enjoyed the majority of possession, they seldom looked like breaking down the home rearguard.
It was West United who provided the goals in the second-half, efforts by Shane Keogh and James Ryan being a fitting reward for a good performance.
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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