Sports
Galway should do enough to book spot in knock-out stages
After a week’s break for club matches, Galway’s senior camogie team return to action this Saturday in St Brendan’s Park in Birr when they take on an Offaly team fighting for championship survival (2.30pm).
Victory for Tony Ward’s charges will effectively secure them a place in the knockout stages in August following their opening day win over All-Ireland champions Cork. But for the Faithful County, defeats to Limerick and Wexford have left Barry Whelehan’s team staring at the exit door following a season of promise.
The ‘Group of Death’ has shown no mercy for Offaly following their 4-11 to 0-13 reversal to the Slaneysiders on Saturday. Another defeat for the Leinster side will make qualification impossible and Galway will need to be on their guard.
The maroon and white only need to remember the league when they were pressed to the limit before emerging 1-13 to 3-5 winners. Offaly’s three Spring defeats average just three points and they showed their potential in the Leinster championship reaching the final after taking the scalps of Wexford and Dublin.
Eleanor Clendennen is an experienced keeper and Offaly possess a strong half-back line in Marian Crean, Michaela Morkam and Aisling Brennan. Arlene Watkins will be the major threat in midfield, while Siobhan Hannon and Tina Hannon will be their chief scorers upfront.
Galway are seven games unbeaten and will be strong favourites to ensure their season continues towards autumn. A settled side carry some knocks from two rounds of club matches but the same starting line-up that defeated Cork will be expected to take their place.
Susan Earner produced two quality saves in that encounter; Sarah Dervan at full-back dictated proceedings; Tara Kenny and Heather Cooney will cover the corners; Siobhan Coen delivered another top display; despite some scares Shauna Healy settled better at centre back as the game progressed; while Lorraine Ryan will provide the experience at 7.
Whether it was nerves, pressure or rustiness following a seven-week gap, Galway rarely found the fluidity against Cork that they enjoyed in the league. The defence struggled against Cork’s running moves with the central channel opened up on occasions.
But while the upcoming three successive games (Galway play Wexford and Limerick the following two Saturdays) should provide a tighter effort, the appearance of Sinead Cahalan and Therese Manton gives Ward ample cover in this department.
Likewise, Galway’s midfield didn’t reach their expected heights though Niamh Kilkenny and Emma Kilkelly are providing a good partnership. Kilkenny had been ill coming into that encounter but did make an impact in the concluding stages with one point while also winning an important free; and Kilkelly put in her usual work rate and only a few poor misses denied her a prominent place on the scoreboard.
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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