Sports
Donnellan delivers in terrific win for battling Pearses
Padraig Pearses 0-14
Kinvara 1-9
A display full of determination and passion helped a jubilant Padraig Pearses to maintain their senior hurling status by edging out a Kinvara side that also battled to the end in a hard fought, do-or-die relegation encounter at Kenny Park last Saturday.
While the winners and their supporters were, understandably, celebrating at the finish the result sends the border club down to the intermediate grade for 2015 and is a huge blow to Kinvara, although they have many fine players who will fight tooth and nail next year when they try to regain their place in the upper tier.
It was a sad end to the campaign for Kinvara who didn’t enjoy much good luck in the current championship, but they can have few complaints about this result even though they never threw in the towel. They launched a series of late attacks in a bid to save the day, but they found a resolute Ballymacward-Gurteen combination in no mood to surrender.
Pearses, who looked faster and fitter, made some unforced errors from time to time but made up for them with hard running and tigerish tackling that often ended in Kinvara losing possession. John Raftery had his men really fired up for this crucial clash and they never wavered in their efforts to consolidate their place in the premier grade.
Some of the losing side in contrast showed a poor first touch, shot too many wides and made several mistakes, including clearances going straight to opposing players. A lucky goal at the three-quarter stage when they were hanging on gamely gave them a real lifeline as it brought them level at a stroke, but they were unable to build on it and only scored once after that.
Pearses promptly replied with a point and later added two more. The groundwork for this win was laid in the first half when the winners had a strong wind behind them as they built a 0-10 to 0-4 lead. The six-point advantage was badly needed as Kinvara came out for the second half in determined fashion and they shot three points in as many minutes to reduce the deficit to a goal and it was very much game on at that stage. Pearses, however, weathered the storm despite only scoring a solitary point in the third quarter.
A confident start had seen Pearses grab five of the first half dozen scores with Jimmy Gelston and Tomás Flannery in accurate form before young Conor Whelan, who again emphasised his great potential, got one at the other end. Kinvara were creating chances but they were unable to break down a strong Padraig Pearses rearguard where Anthony and Tomás Kenny and Padraic Raftery were in inspired form. In front of them their half-backs Richie Lally, Damien Wynne and Kerril Hardiman were also standing firm when danger threatened.
When Adrian Bellew and Cyril Donnellan, with a delightful point from out on the wing, widened the gap it was again Conor Whelan who replied for the lads in purple and gold after collecting a Shane Kavanagh free and he then converted a 65 to make it 0-5 to 0-3 midway through the first period. At that juncture it was looking good for Ollie Bergin’s charges, given the weather conditions, but they had a disappointing second quarter.
For more, read this week’s Connacht 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.
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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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