Connacht Tribune
Galway’s goals help to carry the day in a stirring league decider
GALWAY 2-14
ROSCOMMON 0-15
A STIRRING contest and one played out at a quite brisk pace for the closing week of January, with two Galway goal strikes proving to be the critical difference between the sides in this entertaining FBD Connacht League football final at Kiltoom on Sunday.
Early doors it might be in the context of the 2017 football season, but it was obvious from the opening exchanges that both sides have been far from idle over the past couple of months as they prepare for crucial upcoming National League campaigns.
Little separated the sides in terms of possession and chance creation but Galway held that vital edge as regards being a measure more clinical when it came to the conversion of goal chances at vital junctures of the match.
Kevin Walsh does appear to have a decent choice in terms of lively and scoring forwards and while the Roscommon backs were a lot tighter and tougher than Galway’s earlier FBD opponents, the mixture of pace and quick lay-offs carved open the home defence on more than a few occasions.
Roscommon set out their stall in this match during the opening 14 minutes when points from Donie Smith (3), Cian Connolly and Fintan Cregg powered them into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead while the highly energised Johnny Heaney – relishing his return to an attacking wing back role – replied twice for Galway with neat scores.
The Roscommon spectators in the estimated crowd of 1,500 were now in full voice, but that was all to change after 15 minutes, in the first of two defining moments of the match, when Galway attacked with real pace and intent.
Paul Conroy, Sean Armstrong and Barry McHugh were involved in a move that ended with Monivea-Abbey’s Cillian McDaid shooting low to the back of the Roscommon net, although goalie Darren O’Malley did get a touch to the ball but not enough to keep it out.
That score put Galway 1-3 to 0-5 ahead and when Tom Flynn and Barry McHugh (the Mountbellew man just shaved the bar from close range) tacked on quick points, the balance of the match had changed completely with the visitors cementing a lead that they never subsequently lost.
Roscommon fought back sternly and continued to give the Galway full backline problems with a last gasp interception from Declan Kyne denying Kevin McStay’s charges a certain goal early in the second quarter.
Sean McDermott tore up from corner back to shoot an inspirational Roscommon point from the right sideline after Paul Conroy had been ‘robbed’ further upfield but Galway finished the half quite strongly with points from Barry McHugh (2 frees) and one from Gareth Bradshaw.
Ahead by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break, Roscommon responded to their position of difficulty with the introduction of three subs – Enda Smith, David Murray and Conor Devaney coming in for Fintan Cregg, John McManus and Shane Killoran.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
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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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht 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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
