Sports
Galway WFC through to League Cup semi-finals
Cork City WFC 0
Galway WFC 2
Two goals in the space of three minutes saw Galway WFC book their place in the last four of the Women’s National League Cup in Cork on Sunday.
Level at the break, Don O’Riordan’s side struck the decisive blows in the 50th and 52nd minutes through Meabh De Burca and Lynsey McKey to decide what was a fairly even game, through there could be no quarrel with the outcome.
The visitors created the first real opening of note when DeBurca floated a ball over the top of the Cork City defence, but the impressive Susie Cunningham put the ball just wide while stretching for it.
Vanessa Ogbonna then beat the offside trap at the other end from a quick release by Shannon Carson, but her final effort was weak and easily gathered by Tina Hughes.
McKey then had two chances in quick succession, the first coming after Trish Fennelly punched a ball straight to her feet. McKey controlled, turned and shot but Fennelly redeemed herself by blocking. Moments later, McKey had a sight of goal again after good work by Cunnigham, but she failed to find the target.
There was a huge let-off for Galway after the Leesiders had a goal ruled out for offside. Ogbonna dispossessed Lisa Casserly in midfield before powering through the centre. She slid the ball out wide to Amy Quinn, whose cross picked out Katie McCarthy to head home, but the goal was ruled out by an offside flag.
Kara Mullins was twice denied by Fennelly as half-time approached, the ‘’keeper firstly saving her 25 yard effort, and then smothering at her feet after Mullins had been played in by Cunningham.
City almost had a goal gifted to them at the start of the second half as Ruth Fahy miscontrolled the bounce of the ball and Ogbonna raced through, but Hughes was out quickly to deny the striker and the ball raced away for a corner.
Then came a magical three-minute spell for the visitors, with DeBurca opening the scoring in the 50th minute after getting on the end of Ciara McNamara’s free-kick; and she turned provider two minutes later, crossing into the box and a step-over by Mullins left McKey with the simple task of tapping into the net.
The two goals took some of the bite out of City and Galway enjoyed a couple of chances with Mullins going close, while McKey really should have added a third when blazing over from close range.
The home side rallied somewhat, but Maggie Duncliffe’s shot was deflected wide for a corner; and Ciara Desmond fired over after good work from the industrious Ogbonna.
Angie Carry’s 30-yard volley was brilliantly saved by Hughes, and McCarthy sent the rebound wide.
Cork City WFC: Fennelly; Coughlan (Gilroy 83), Carson, McNamara, Smith (Carroll 61); Paul, Duncliffe, McCarthy, Desmond; Ogbonna, Quinn (Carry 61).
Galway WFC: Hughes; Fox (Cormican 90), Walsh, Fahy, Curtin, Casserly (Hughes 83), DeBurca, Kelleher, Cunningham (Jacob 77); Mullins, McKey.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
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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