Sports
Defending All-Ireland camogie champions face tough test against Kilkenny
After surviving a test of character in their quarter-final against Clare, Galway’s camogie side face the ultimate challenge this Sunday when they meet an undefeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final Gaelic Grounds in Limerick (4pm).
The Noresiders are league champions, on 10 wins out of 10, and with their minor and senior hurlers plus their intermediate camogie team already going to Croke Park, there’s a positive feeling in the Marble County.
In a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final, Kilkenny will be looking for revenge and stated their intent in February when they outplayed Galway 2-11 to 0-8 in the league.
Kilkenny added wins over Derry, Clare, Limerick and Wexford to take league honours and took that form into the championship dispensing of Offaly, Tipperary, Clare and Derry.
With 12-66 scored in four games, Kilkenny can count on Denise Gaule, Aoife Neary and Leanne Fennelly for scores while the full-back line of Mairead Power, Kate McDonald and Jacqui Frisby has only conceded one goal in the Summer.
Kilkenny are the form team while Galway’s has been slightly erratic but their 2-10 to 0-14 win over Clare in the All-Ireland quarter-final will give confidence. Goals from Emma Kilkelly and Aislinn Connolly proved turning points a fortnight ago while Niamh McGrath’s seven points were important but Tony Ward’s charges will know they need to improve.
Galway’s defence have been reliable and restricted Clare to just one point from play over 100 minutes and they will need to be equally tight. Molly Dunne and Niamh Kilkenny announced their arrival in Championship 2014 with two sterling performances and gaining control around the middle will be critical.
It’s in attack where the maroon and white need a significant boost. Despite the referee’s constant whistling the last day, Galway still only managed three points from play. McGrath has performed strongly this year and the return of Ann Marie Hayes to full forward looked to reap dividends but the All-Ireland champions will need others to step-up.
Kilkelly and Orlaith McGrath are likely starters and it’ll be interesting if Ann Marie Starr gets the nod after her productive cameo appearance. Otherwise, Rebecca Hennelly, Ailish O’Reilly, Brenda Hanney, Aislinn Connolly and Noreen Coen should ensure plenty of competition for the final spots.
Quite simply, Galway need a performance. The quarter-final showed signs that the Tribeswomen are back on track but they will need to be at their desired level to keep their ambitions intact.
No doubt, it’s in Galway and should it come, this will be intriguing afternoon and their win against Clare will stand to them against a Kilkenny side inactive for five weeks. If it doesn’t, then their reign as Queens of camogie will end around 5.30pm on Sunday.
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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