Sports
Galway United and Dunne gearing up for new season
GALWAY United have unveiled a number of pre-season friendlies over the coming weeks, while the club also confirmed that Leo Tierney has returned to act as assistant manager to Tommy Dunne.
Tierney was assistant to Dunne for the 2014 First Division season, but he stepped down at the end of that promotion-clinching campaign due to work and travel commitments – he lives in Mayo.
Gary O’Connor stepped in as assistant to Dunne last season, but like Tierney, work commitments forced the Mervue man to step down at the end of the season, which opened the door for Tierney’s return.
“Last season I wanted Leo to stay but his personal circumstances meant that he couldn’t commit. This year I asked him again and thankfully he has rejoined us. I’m looking forward to working with him again. It’s important to have the right people in the club.
“Like Leo, circumstances meant that Gary O’Connor could not continue in his position with the club this year and we would like to thank him for all his hard work and we wish him well in the future,” Dunne said.
The rest of his backroom team is unchanged from last season, with Mark Cobey (goalkeeper coach), Adrian Craddock (strength and conditioning coach), Emmett Hartigan (physiotherapist), Dermot Ryan (kitman) and Sean Buckley (team chef) all continuing in their roles.
Dunne’s squad began pre-season training last week, and the club has confirmed four friendlies, with the possibility of more being added. United will host UCD in Fahy’s Field on Saturday, February 13 (3pm) and Shelbourne in Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday, February 20 (3pm); before taking to the road for games against Longford Town in City Calling Stadium on Tuesday, February 23 (7.45pm) and Limerick FC in Markets Field on Saturday, February 27 (6.30pm).
The latest additions to the squad are striker Ruairi Keating (20) and right midfielder Kevin Devaney (25), who have both signed from Sligo Rovers.
On the underage front, Galway United’s U-19 side have been placed in the Southern Elite Division alongside Bray Wanderers, Cabinteely, Cobh Ramblers, Cork City, Limerick, Shamrock Rovers, Waterford United, Wexford Youths and UCD.
Johnny Glynn and Nigel Keady are once again taking charge of the U-19 side, which will play each of the other sides twice, on a home and away basis. The top four will qualify to play against the top four from the Northern Division, and teams outside of the top four will play in a Shield competition with the teams outside the top four in the Northern Division. The U-19 season, like the senior league, will kick-off in March.
Meanwhile the Galway Soccer Co-Op will hold its AGM on Monday next, January 25, at 7pm in Eamonn Deacy Park. The election of a committee for 2016 will take place, and plans for the coming season will be outlined. People will be able to join the co-op on the night.
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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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.
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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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