Sports
End of road for Galway League after shootout loss to Wexford
Wexford League 1
Galway League 1
(Wexford won 6-5 on pens)
AFTER qualifying from the group stages of the Oscar Traynor Cup for the first time in many years, Galway’s odyssey in the competition ended in dramatic circumstances in Gorey on Saturday evening.
On an occasion when they missed a hatful of chances in the opening half in particular, they continued their error ridden performance in the shootout when failing to convert four penalties at a time when any score would have seen them qualify for the last eight.
In contrast, goalkeeper James Keane could not have done anymore as four smashing penalty saves, allied to scoring his own effort, helped maintain the Galway challenge as both sides required 11 penalties before the home side eventually advanced.
The Tribesman’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of two players which meant that two of the team had to shoot twice in the penalty contest. Wexford were also reduced to ten men as one from each side went in a contentious moment.
Galway’s first half performance should have being better rewarded as they created a host of chances, but had to settle for a 1-0 interval advantage as Mike Elwood headed home a Keith Ward set piece delivery on 19 minutes.
A questionable offside decision ruled out what looked to be a good Simon Walsh goal, while Colm O’Donovan and Alex Lee were denied by goal line clearances in the same attack. Sean Gavin was guilty of a misdirected header from in front of goal, while a bad bounce did O’Donovan no favours when through with just the goalkeeper to beat.
While Wexford enjoyed supremacy in the closing stages of the half, just a Paul Muphy effort extended ‘keeper Keane, before the midfielder eventually got the better of the College custodian on 76 minutes with a cracking shot that levelled matters. Subsequently, caution appeared to be the byword in the latter stages and extra time as few opportunities were created at either end.
The penalty shootout more than compensated for that with loads of drama and with Wexford shooting first, James Keane put Galway in the driving seat on a number of occasions with terrific saves, but unfortunately, a number of his colleagues could not take advantage as they too fluffed their lines with missed penalties.
Wexford custodian Gary McCleane equally played a huge part in their success, with three saves in the shootout. Eventually, the home side prevailed by 6-5 and, in the process, set up a home quarter-final against either the Kerry League or the Defence Forces.
Afterwards manager Garret Gorman was hugely disappointed by the outcome. “It was one we certainly left behind us as the missed chances came back to haunt us. We should certainly have put them away in the opening half.
“In the shootout, James Keane put us in the driving seat on four occasions with terrific saves, but each time we failed to take advantage and score ourselves. Now if we were beaten by a better team, it would be easier to accept, but overall the outcome was disappointing as a win was within our capabilities”.
Galway League: James Keane, T Walsh, S Rodden, J Woods, M Elwood, J Finn (A Lee), S Gavin (K McHugh), DRyan (Jonathan Keane), K Ward, C O’Donovan, S Walsh.
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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