Sports
Galway senior camogie team pay heavy price for conceding soft goals
Kilkenny 4-12
Galway 3-7
FOUR goals conceded at inopportune times last Sunday proved fatal for the Galway senior camogie team as they surrendered their All-Ireland title to a maturing Kilkenny outfit who maintained their unbeaten season and booked a place in Croke Park.
Two majors for Michelle Quilty and Ann Dalton in the first half gave the Noresiders an early 2-5 to 0-3 lead and while Galway came back, Shelly Farrell and Denise Gaule registered green flags at critical periods after the break to ensure the Leinster side their success.
What will hurt Galway more was the nature of the goals conceded. Two sides associated with tight defending saw their defences easily exposed as both attacks made an impact.
Niamh McGrath opened Galway’s account in the fifth minute but Kilkenny were already threatening with Gaule and Elaine Aylward overturning the deficit. It was the start of a 10 minute spell which saw Niall Williams’ charges pulling six clear. Katie Power and Gaule added two more but their goal on 12 minutes set the tone for Galway’s afternoon.
Michelle Quilty took possession down the right before creating space. Her speculative effort dropped down for a routine take for Susan Earner only for the Eyrecourt keeper to let the sliothar slip over the line to gift Kilkenny a goal, and it was 1-4 to 0-1 on the quarter-hour.
The McGrath sisters were Galway’s chief scorers with Niamh sending over a placed ball on 18 minutes after Orlaith was fouled. And Orlaith got on the scoreboard 30 seconds later to reduce the arrears.
Just when the Tribeswomen seemed to be settling, Kilkenny struck a second blow. Galway’s defence, limited in space from the pressing Noreside attack, led to Shauna Healy attempting a hand pass to Niamh Kilkenny. 2009 captain Dalton reacted, intercepting the sliothar, but the Galway defence allowed her run. The St. Lachtain’s midfielder sensed the opportunity, kept going and hit the net for a seven point advantage.
Galway were struggling, panicking maybe, and needed a lift and it came on 25 minutes. Collette Dormer made it 2-5 to 0-3 before Niamh Kilkenny took possession around the middle with seemingly no where to go. Turning one defender she set off, did the same to another before cutting through a pair of black and amber backs.
Suddenly she was inside with goal in sight. A glorious run, she erred in trying to pick out a tightly marked Ann Marie Hayes but her efforts didn’t go unrewarded. The breaking ball came to Orlaith McGrath who hit the target and Galway only trailed 2-5 to 1-3 at half-time.
Already, Ward had introduced Aislinn Connolly and Ann Marie Starr and made a third change during the interval with Brenda Hanney coming on. All three would have an impact. Aisling Dunphy put six between them before Niamh McGrath set up Starr for a score on 33 minutes.
McGrath was involved again, this time with Connolly 60 seconds afterwards with the awaiting Hanney on the edge of the square. The Killimor woman’s first touch was too strong but her second off the ground got the better of keeper Emma Kavanagh.
For more, read 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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