Sports
Depleted Connacht rise to challenge with great show
Connacht 30
Ulster 25
THERE haven’t been too many more impressive home performances in the Pat Lam era than what we witnessed under lights at the Sportsground on Friday evening. In perfect weather, with an injury hit squad, Connacht produced a truly magnificent 80 minutes to down the side that has beaten them more times than any other in this league.
It was Pat Lam’s first win over Ulster in seven attempts, it was Connacht’s first four try bonus point against them in 26 Pro12 and Celtic League meetings and only a fourth ever win in 15 years of the competition. What is seldom is wonderful for sure but this result can’t be treated in isolation either. It is part of a trend.
The disastrous pre season and inevitable poor start is now a footnote for Connacht. In two weeks, despite plenty of adversity, Connacht have notched up a brace of bonus point home wins. That off the back of a much improved display even in defeat away to Llanelli. A corner has been turned and it has been done by a squad decimated by injuries and changes.
Friday’s game was a thrilling and high skilled encounter from start to finish Connacht scored three tries within the first half hour to lead 19-3 but over the next 20 minutes or so, Ulster responded with three of their own and the score was level at 22 each five minutes into the second half with the visitors in the ascendency, having notched two tries within two minutes of each other.
The response to that stunning momentum shift after half time from Connacht was to get back to basics, take full control of possession and return to what they do best and before long they were back in front thanks to a try from the outstanding Cian Kelleher after sustained pressure. By the end they would hold onto a five point advantage and secure the bonus point win. Ulster were shell shocked.
Here was a Connacht team forced into six changes from the one that beat Edinburgh the previous week because of injuries and with the need for another change after just a handful of minutes when Eoin McKeon had to be replaced by James Connolly. Decimated by this bad luck but determined to stick to the game plan regardless of personal issues.
That’s why this win was so impressive. Over the course of the game, Connacht owned the ball with 61% possession. They dominated in open play, making 434 metres with ball in hand to Ulster’s 253. Ulster were forced into making 156 tackles while Connacht had to make 88. There were more offloads, defenders beaten and clean line breaks too.
That led to tries early on, the first came within 100 seconds of the kick off. It set the tone and gave them a platform. Dave Heffernan’s barnstorming break set up position, a few phases later, Jack Carty dropped the shoulder and nipped inside the defence to score under the posts.
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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