Sports
Galway must raise their game for tough away test against Waterford
GALWAY manager Anthony Cunningham says little heed should be paid to the manner of the defeat to Dublin last weekend, insisting the Tribesmen’s focus has always been on the National Hurling League quarter-finals, which sees them pitted against Waterford at Walsh Park on Sunday (4pm).
The 0-26 to 2-14 loss to the Dubs at Parnell Park saw Galway finished fourth on the league table and, as a consequence, they must now travel to take on a rejuvenated Waterford outfit that finished top of the Division 1B pile after going unbeaten through their early Spring campaign.
However, despite the Westerners, who had already qualified for the knockout stages ahead of the final round of league games, coming into Sunday’s fixture on the back of a defeat, Cunningham is unperturbed. “I suppose, it was a difficult game for us really, knowing we were through,” he says.
“So, obviously the last 20 minutes was always going to be tough if the game was in the balance. Dublin had something to fight for – they were fighting for their lives – where we were through. We would have been disappointed with our finish though.”
While dissatisfied with Galway’s second half showing against the Dubs, who they will face in their Leinster championship opener later in the Summer, he still maintains it was a great workout ahead of the quarter-finals, particularly in giving game time to a number of players, including the solid Paul Killeen.
At any rate, it will be interesting to see what team selection Cunningham will announce later on in the week. Goalkeeper Colm Callanan and backs Johnny Coen, David Collins and Greg Lally will be favoured to backbone a defensive effort which could also see the return of centre-back Daithí Burke after his All-Ireland club football exertions with Corofin.
Iarla Tannian and Andy Smith look the likely midfield pairing although, arguably, Joseph Cooney’s best hurling in the league has been around the middle of the park. However, he will most likely be deployed to the half-forward line, joining Jonathan Glynn and, possibly, Joe Canning.
Canning, in truth, could play in any offensive position but even against Dublin you could see the distress he caused in the opposition cover when he set up camp on the D. His goal was a bullet. Jason Flynn and Cathal Mannion have been other scoring threats in the current league campaign.
As for Waterford, they have been impressive in the manner in which they went about their Division 1B crusade – not only in going undefeated in their five games but securing results in their three most difficult ties away to Limerick (0-22 to 2-16), Offaly (2-18 to 1-14) and Wexford (0-22 to 0-16).
Indeed, what manager Derek McGrath has achieved in rebuilding a new-look squad in effectively six months is quite remarkable. Stephen Molumphy, Seamus Prendergast and Shane Walsh have retired while a number of other players such as Liam Lawlor, Richie Foley and Jamie Nagle were let go.
The significant change of personnel has not had a detrimental effect however; if anything it has re-energised the Waterford squad. They still have their experienced campaigners in goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe, Kevin Moran and Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh but the likes of Austin Gleeson, Tadgh de Burca and Colin Dunford have added fresh impetus.
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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