Sports
Galway get the job done against Wexford
Galway 1-13
Wexford 1-8
GALWAY’S senior camogie team booked their place in the semi-finals of the National League last Sunday after another strong second quarter ensured a comfortable winning margin.
Level at 0-2 apiece after ten minutes, Ollie Bergin’s charges ensured their fourth victory with an unanswered 1-7 to effectively settle the tie. Aoife Donohue was on the end of two excellent deliveries from Siobhan Coen and Laura Mitchell for two scores before she won two frees which Aoife Callanan converted.
And when another attack on 24 minutes left Mags D’Arcy no choice but to pull Donohue down, Rebecca Hennelly stepped up to send a bullet to the net before the two Aoifes added three more white flags for a 1-9 to 0-2 interval advantage.
This was a satisfying victory even if it wasn’t without its faults. Wexford may have been missing names like Mary and Una Leacy, Kate Kelly and the retired Ursula Jacob, but they still troubled the Tribeswomen on occasions and gave Galway a solid test.
That being said, the maroon and white were ruthless when seizing the initiative, management got to look at more options before the summer and the link up play continues to improve. Throw in names like Susan Earner, Molly Dunne, Ann Marie Starr and Niamh McGrath to fight for jerseys and Galway’s season has promising signs.
Rebecca Hennelly opened the scoring after just 51 seconds and the Ardrahan player would continue to produce a masterful performance at centre back. Her move to defence was the major early season talking point but she has excelled in the role and maintained her consistency in clearing ball and setting up attacks.
Behind her, Shauna Burke grows in confidence between the sticks and dealt with danger positively. Out the field, Siobhan Coen, Shauna Healy, Emma Helebert and Clodagh McGrath were examples of players looking hungry for possession and maintaining a high tempo. And the attack, especially the two Aoifes, look determined to do damage when gaining possession.
Credit must also go to referee Cathal Egan who allowed both teams to play. The Cork official used the advantage rule well and didn’t allow hold ups for any extended period.
Mitchell doubled Galway’s advantage with a fantastic strike from the right as the home side took time to settle. But Wexford were finding their feet and when Linda Bolger split the posts in the seventh minute, they gave Galway a few tough moments.
Chloe Fox could be the Slaneysiders’ find of the spring and she set up Stacey Kehoe but Burke saved well. Kehoe did add a point to level but a delivery from her twin sister Shelly got a touch from Fox and Sarah Dervan was placed well to ensure the ball didn’t cross the line.
Full coverage 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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