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Dominican College side secures second FAI title of the year

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The victorious Taylor Hill squad, back row, from left: Geoff Drea (manager), David Grehan (manager), Clara Montario, Polina Antonova, Meghen Hengerer, Stephanie Brady, Lily Hengerer, Emily Brown, Emma Heffernan, Anna Flaherty, Wakila Latidoye and John Power (coach). Front: Cleo Burke, Roma Burke, Catriona Carty, Lucia Lobato. Claire Conry, Aoife Lynagh, Alexandra Williams, Siobhan Beatty, Chloe Lawler and Saoirse Coyle. Absent from photo: Paloma Carallo.

Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill 2

Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise 1

(After extra time)

Fifteen months ago Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill had never even won a Connacht soccer title and now just a short time later they have secured not just multiple provincial titles, but three All-Ireland crowns.

It is a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of the Salthill school, as a new generation of soccer-playing girls are lifting the game to a new level and a Ciara Lynagh winner gave them national honours at this level for the first time.

Just a number of weeks ago, they retained their Schools Senior title and in Athlone on Wednesday, they added the Bank of Ireland FAI Minor (U-15) Girls’ All-Ireland title to their roll of honour.

Of course, they didn’t do it the easy way for after taking an opening-half lead when facing the elements, they didn’t build on that and after conceding a soft equaliser, they required an extra time winner to confirm them as champions.

That winner arrived in the first minute of extra time and came in rather dramatic fashion. A free-kick was awarded to Taylor’s Hill after a Portlaoise player picked up the ball on the sideline, after she thought it was gone out of play.

A free-kick was the correct decision, and dead-ball specialist Aoife Lynagh came forward from central defence to fire in the delivery. Maybe her cross went closer to the goal than she intended, but goalkeeper Aimee Keane was stretching and back peddling as she gathered possession on about her goal line.

The assistant referee was in a position to make a judgement on her positioning, and waving his flag high in the air, he confirmed that the ball had crossed the line and Taylor’s Hill were 2-1 ahead.

Thereafter, they had to survive some anxious moments, but in reality should have increased their lead in the closing minutes as two terrific Lynagh free-kicks set up great opportunities in the box that were missed by Lucia Lobato and Lily Hengerer.

The early action in the contest confirmed that both schools had a number of impressive players with both sides enjoying their moments of supremacy.

Enjoying wind advantage in the opening half, it was the Laois school which did most of the attacking, but despite forcing seven corners, they seldom directly overworked goalkeeper Stephanie Brady.

It was Taylor’s Hill who offered the first scoring threat on 16 minutes when the excellent central midfielder Meghen Hengerer drilled in a 25-yard effort that was comfortably gathered by Keane. This was quickly followed up by a Lobato shot that fizzed across the face of goal.

The well-directed corners, delivered mainly by Gillian Keenan, were a constant source of concern for the Galway rearguard and on the occasions that they varied them, Taylor’s Hill were somewhat slow to react and were lucky to get away without conceding.

It was following another set-piece that Dominican College took the lead on 24 minutes. After Lobato was fouled wide on the right, Lynagh swung in a sweet delivery that was met at the far post by Emily Browne. Her header rebounded off a post and at the second attempt, Wakila Latidoye forced the rebound over the line for a 1-0 advantage.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Connacht Tribune

Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents

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Galway's Aaron Niland is chased by Cillian O'Callaghan of Cork during Saturday's All-Ireland Minor Hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium. Photo: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile.

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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CITY TRIBUNE

United wary of the threat from Treaty

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Galway United’s goal scorer Stephen Walsh gets to grips with Wexford’s Hugh Douglas during Friday's First Division tie at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photos: Joe O'Shaughnessy,

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.

 

 

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CITY TRIBUNE

Devon crowned Women’s Connacht Cup champions

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Luke Byrnes (centre) ceebrates with Paddy Gannon (left) and Sam Omokua afetr scoring his second goal aganist St Bernard's. Photos: Joe O'Shaughnessy.

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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