Sports
Dempsey goal proves vital as Salthill get the job done
Salthill/Knocknacarra 2-9
Killanin 1-7
Patrick Flaherty in Moycullen
SALTHILL/Knocknacarrra will contest their first U21 A County football final since 2013 after they saw off Killanin by five points in the West Board decider played in Moycullen on Saturday night.
In a game where both sides had barren spells, going almost a third of the game without scoring, a 52th minute goal from substitute Rory Dempsey proved to be crucial as the city side booked their place in the county final.
It was Killanin who started the brighter in the opening five minutes, taking the lead curtesy of a fine free from Enda Kelly, but the Connemara men would fail to raise a white flag again for the next 17 minutes as Salthill hit them for 1-3 without a reply.
Salthill hit the equaliser through a point from Paul Butler, and the young forward was again to the fore soon after when following a long run from midfield, some neat link up play with Robert Finnerty led to Butler palming the ball past Callum Ciaponi in the Killanin net on 10 minutes for the first goal of the game.
Further scores from Finnerty and Shane Garvey put Salthill into a commanding five point lead, before Killanin finally got back on the scoresheet, as midfielder Gary Heffernan made a darting run forward, losing his marker in the process, and slotting home a fine effort from the left wing.
The sides traded scores soon after before Killanin keeper Ciaponi was tested to his limits, making a crucial block to deny Rob Finnerty, while a minute later Butler had a great chance to add a second goal to his tally, when left with just the keeper to beat, but his effort went across goal and wide.
As a half time approached, Finnerty won a long ball from midfield, before laying it off to Shane Kelly who duly slotted home a delightful effort from the right wing, to leave Salthill five points up at the break,1-5 to 0-3.
Roles were reversed in the second half, when following an early score from the boot of Shane Garvey, Salthill would go 20 minutes without a score, allowing the Connemara outfit to go through a purple patch which saw them hit 1-4 without reply.
Following another score from the boot of Enda Kelly, Killanin had a great chance to get a much needed goal on 34 minutes, when Gary Heffernan intercepted the ball from defender Fiachra O’Griofa, but his effort went agonisingly wide.
Killanin then thought they had that much need goal when Kelly kicked a long range free towards the opposition posts, with his shot seemingly lobbing David Sheedy in the Salthill net, only for the referee Padraig Mac Donnacha to blow for a foul in the square and disallowing the goal.
But wave after wave of pressure would eventually pay off on 44 minutes when following a free from Heffernan, a scramble in the square ensued, with Matthew Lawrence getting the final touch, as he fisted home a vital goal to leave just two points between the sides.
Further frees from Kelly and Ruairi Greene left the teams’ level with just ten minutes to go but that was as good as it got for Killannin as Mark Kinnevey’s side failed to score for the remainder of the tie.
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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