Sports
Dunne to field strongest side for visit of non-league opponents in FAI Cup
GALWAY United boss Tommy Dunne insists he will be fielding the strongest side possible when they face non-league opposition North End United in their first game in the FAI Cup at Eamonn Deacy Park this evening, Friday (7:45pm).
Hosting a non-league outfit, the temptation might be to rest a number of players ahead of their Premier League match against a high-flying Cork City next week but Dunne stresses United’s focus is wholly on this game.
“No, we would be looking to play the strongest team that is available to us on Friday,” the United manager told Tribune Sport earlier this week. “We will worry about Cork when Cork comes around the following week. There won’t be one eye on Cork or anything like that. It is solely on this game this week.”
This evening’s fixture is the 14th time United have been drawn against non-league opposition, with the cluyb winning 12 of their previous outings, drawing one – their tie against Fanad in the 1986/87 season went to a replay – and losing just once. That was against Cobh Ramblers, then a Munster League side back in the early 1980s.
For their part, North End United qualified for the FAI Cup through their progression in the FAI Junior Cup, where they were eventually beaten 2-1 by Liffey Wanderers in the semi-final last month.
However, it was enough to secure their place in this competition and in their first outing against UCC – the same side that had won the Collingwood Cup in Galway in February – they ran out comfortable 4-0 winners, with Paul Murphy (2), Jason Murphy and John Fenlon netting the North End goals.
Other than that though, Dunne knows very little about them. “I wouldn’t know a huge amount about them to be truthful. Just a couple of the players, like Gary Dempsey. Overall, I wouldn’t have a huge knowledge on them so we will just have to do our homework and get as much information as we can before Friday.
“Obviously, we are looking to progress as far as we can in the Cup. We look at it as an option of us picking up a trophy but, also, it is important that we try to get on good Cup runs for the club and the supporters.”
Certainly, you couldn’t argue with United’s Cup form this season, given they have already qualified for the semi-finals of the EA Sports Cup, for which the draw was made earlier this week. They pulled league leaders Dundalk – to be played at Eamonn Deacy Park on Monday, August 3.
“It is a tough semi-final draw against Dundalk but these are the games that the lads want to play in. Friday night is also a home draw but it is still a tough game. So, we have to make sure we are up and ready and motoring as best we can to try and get ourselves into the next round. That is really what we are looking to do.”
That said, hosting non-league opposition this evening, is there a danger of complacency? “No,” states Dunne. “To be honest with you, I never found it difficult when I was playing. The mindset is always the thought of getting into the next round. Good pros play the same against any team they play against. And that is what I am hoping from our group.”
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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