Sports
Galway boss Cunninghan wary of challenge posed by improving Laois
“SHOW respect, even to people who don’t deserve it; not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of yours.”
Augusta pastor and author Dave Willis may know little or nothing about hurling but a similar sentiment is being embraced by Galway manager Anthony Cunningham in the lead-in to his side’s tricky Leinster semi-final against an improving Laois outfit in Tullamore on Saturday.
Whatever followers of the game think of Laois hurling, it has been on an upward curve. Indeed, having barely escaped embarrassments to the minnows from the midlands in championship encounters in 2013 and 2014, Galway – and Cunningham – are well and truly on their guard.
“I saw Laois against Offaly and they are definitely a better side than what they were the last two years. I don’t think they are getting the credit they deserve,” says Cunningham, who had no major injury worries ahead of announcing his starting fifteen later in the week.
“They were well organised, very well coached, very well structured in their set-up, playing a sweeper. They have a style of play, no more than Waterford, but it is a different style of play and it is an unique style that gets a lot of scores. They are definitely going to be a hard team to beat and I am not just saying that.
“To be honest, we would prefer to be playing the Wexfords or the Kilkennys or the Offalys, these teams that Galway have always had a keen rivalry with. Sometimes supporters think because it is Laois it is going to be easy but it is going to be far from that. Anyone who was in Portlaoise the last two years will have seen that.”
It is also not lost on Cunningham that, despite Laois requiring a victory over Antrim in the Division 1B relegation play-off to maintain their status, they were very competitive in their National League campaign. They have also been impressing on the challenge games circuit.
“Definitely, if there is a team going to break through into the top six or eight teams it is going to be Laois. They are on form and they are ahead of Offaly and many of the teams that are there now. Their underage is strong and they are putting huge work into those teams. The likes of your Willie Hylands and Zane Keenans just don’t appear overnight. They have put huge work into it.”
That said, where Galway have gone in cold against Laois the past two seasons, the Tribesmen carry real momentum into Saturday’s game following an explosive display in the quarter-final replay victory over Dublin.
“You know yourself, you can’t beat championship games and you can’t beat Summer games,” states Cunningham. “We gave a big performance the last day but we are very cautious of this match and we want to give another big performance. You always want to play well in championship but this game is going to take some winning and, again, I am not just saying that.”
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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