Sports
Galway book league semi-final place in style
Galway 2-23
Wexford 0-9
Darren Kelly
in Loughrea
GALWAY achieved their initial target for 2015 last Sunday as they booked a first National Senior Camogie League semi-final appearance in three years following this comprehensive victory over Wexford.
As impressive as the Tribeswomen were, recent history ensures too much shouldn’t be read into this ahead of their meeting in the championship on July 11. Goals from Molly Dunne and Ailish O’Reilly gave the hosts a comfortable margin as Wexford’s challenge faded tamely.
But the Slaneysiders were missing Mags D’Arcy, Kate Kelly and Katriona Parrock while their All-Ireland winning Oulart-the-Ballagh contingent are still only working their way back. And in 2011, Galway handed Wexford a double digit beating in Enniscorthy only for the Leinster side to be crowned All-Ireland champions in September.
However, it shouldn’t take away from a Galway performance that showed a renewed focus following their disappointing 2014. The Tribeswomen looked comfortable and a step ahead of their opponents as Dunne finished off a three-person move for the opening score after 20 seconds.
The game was competitive for six minutes with the teams level three times. Niamh McGrath and Dunne added to Galway’s tally with Eimear O’Connor and Linda Bolger (2) replying for the visitors. But points for Niamh Kilkenny and Orlaith McGrath (2) had the maroon and white 0-6 to 0-3 in front on 12 minutes.
Kilkenny was the driving force, winning possession and delivering dangerous ball to her willing lieutenants in attack. O’Reilly should have picked out Orlaith McGrath unmarked in the ninth minute but following a Bolger free for Wexford, the home support didn’t have to wait long for their first major.
A quick ball from Kilkenny down the right flank found O’Reilly and she played her part by picking out the lively Dunne who cut inside before striking the roof of the net. Bolger responded with another placed ball to leave it 1-6 to 0-5 but despite having qualification within their grasp, Wexford just couldn’t handle the fight as Galway pulled 1-14 to 0-6 clear by half-time.
The inside line of Orlaith McGrath, Dunne and O’Reilly would enjoy a scoring frenzy, contributing 2-8 between them but Aoife Donohue, Niamh McGrath and Anne Marie Starr were causing an equal number of problems on the 40. Donohue was winning frees and her marker Brid Gordon was removed before the quarter hour, while Niamh McGrath would finish as the game’s top scorer with eight points.
Full report in 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.
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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