Sports
Galwegians stretch their lead at top of table
Galwegians consolidated their position at the summit of Division 1b with a 31-19 home win over Belfast Harlequins on Saturday.
For the second consecutive week, they made hard work of seeing off another Belfast side, this time Belfast Harlequins who currently occupy bottom spot in the table. Indeed Quins had to face a second consecutive trip to Galway having been away to Corinthians the previous week, and they will not be sorry to see the back of the city once more returning empty-handed.
Galwegians coach Matt Brown opted to rest some of his backline regulars, including the influential John Cleary, Brian Murphy and Gary O’Brien, with Rory Parata returning from injury to make his first UBL appearance since the opening game against Trinity.
Galwegians started the better and looked the more likely to score, but full-back Ciaran Gaffney was off target with a long-range early penalty attempt.
However, the visitors had strengthened their side from last week with some Ulster squad members in their side, including lock Neil McComb and centre Michael Allen. And having weathered, the early onslaught from their hosts, Harlequins eventually settled.
In fact, they took the lead in the 10th minute with their first meaningful attack of the game. Some poor handling by Wegians in their opponents’ half saw possession turned over, and following a good counter-attack, Quins full-back David McMaster was sent clear to touch down on the left, with out-half Mark Best converting for a 7-0 lead
This seemed to stun Galwegians who failed to heed the warning signs, and before the first quarter was even up, things went from bad to worse for the hosts. Some sloppy possession play once again cost them in midfield, and an excellent cross-kick by Best was fielded by right-wing Mark Glover, who evaded the attentions of two Galwegians defenders all to easily to charge down the touchline and dive over near the right corner for a second try.
Although the conversion was wide, a shock seemed well on the cards as the bottom-placed side held a 12-0 lead over the league leaders. However Galwegians have proven resilience and character, having already overcome 22-0 and 10-0 deficits against local rivals Buccaneers and Corinthians in this year’s campaign, and they finally roused from their slumber and upped the intensity in the second quarter.
They went on the offensive again and played a territorial game, and the pressure finally paid off when the recalled left-wing Matt Dever showed up on his opposite wing to collect a scoring pass and dive over for his side’s opening try, which was unconverted.
This energised the home team, and with self-belief restored a second try was soon to follow. Their dominant scrum was creating the platform and beginning to yield penalties. And following an excellent line-kick deep to the corner, a well-worked lineout maul resulted in lock Marty Cummins diving over for his first senior try for Galwegians. Gaffney was again wide with the conversion, giving the visitors a slender 12-10 lead at half-time.
Galwegians’ coaches Brown and John Muldoon clearly had strong words with their charges at the break, as they seriously upped the tempo in the second-half. They immediately took the game to their opponents, and following some patient build-up play, a great break from prop Doron McHugh and a deft offload fed the supporting Cummins who dived over near the posts for his second try. Gaffney finally found his range with the conversion, and the Blues had their noses in front for the first time in the game at 17-12.
It was a lead Galwegians would never relinquish as they went on to completely dominate the third quarter. Their pack was now clearly in the ascendancy, creating further opportunities for their potent backline, and just after the hour mark, an excellent break from deep by centre Jerome Harrimate brought play right up to the try-line.
With the defensive cover sucked in, a few phases later Galwegians substitute out-half Aidan Moynihan scampered over near the opposite corner to secure the bonus fourth try. The youngster then landed an excellent conversion himself to give his team a 12-point lead.
The visitors were not done, however, and they responded well going in search of something, only to meet a stern and resolute Blues defence who stoutly held their line and discipline. The game was made safe on 73 minutes when another excellent break from deep, this time by scrum-half Caolin Blade, saw him come within inches of scoring.
But the damage was done and Moynihan was once again the beneficiary as he cut through a gap in impressive and determined fashion to dive over for try number five, which he duly converted bringing his personal haul to 14 points.
The visitors did manage to get on the scoreboard late on when Michael Allen crossed for their third try, which Best converted to reduce the gap to 31-19. But it proved to be merely a consolation score as time ran out in their search of salvaging something from the game.
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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