Sports
Galwegians stun rivals Buccaneers
Galwegians stunned hosts and provincial rivals Buccaneers on Saturday when recovering from a 22-0 deficit to run out 29-25 winners in Division 1b of the AIL
A Colin Conroy try in the very last play of the game gave the Blues their third bonus point victory in four outings, which keeps them top of UBL Division 1B and sets up a mouth-watering clash with fellow promoted side Ballymena – who are also four for four – when the league resumes in three weeks’ time.
Buccs opened the scoring in the second minute with a try from Luke Satchwell, which was converted by Alan Gaughan, and the home side stretched their lead 12 minutes later with Eoghan O’Reilly scoring a try, again converted by Gaughan.
Galwegians looked dead and buried when Billy Henshaw crossed for a third Buccs try, and while Gaughan missed the conversion, he added a penalty to leave the home side 22-0 ahead as half-time approached.
Galwegians were by now down to 14 man following the sin-binning of Brian Murphy, while they had also lost captain and prop Ja Naughton and out-half Dave Clarke to injury, but they were thrown a lifeline when Brian McClearn got in for an unconverted try just before half-time.
Aidan Moynihan kicked a penalty to further reduce arrears in the 54th minute, and when Buccs talismanic back-row Kolo Kiripati was binned just before the hour mark, this gave ’Wegians added impetus.
Doran McHugh scored a try which was converted by Conor Lowndes, but then the prop picked up his second yellow of the game, followed by a red, which looked to have stopped the ’Wegians comeback.
However they rallied again and Lowndes got in for his side’s third try, which he also converted, to tie up the scores at 22 points apiece with four minutes remaining.
There was still more drama to come, however, as Gaughan kicked an injury-time penalty to nudge the hosts back in front, but Galwegians stunned their hosts when Conroy got in for a try with the last move of the match to secure the win and bonus point, and Lowndes landed the conversion for good measure.
It was not such a good weekend for Corinthians, however, who slipped to their third defeat in four games when losing 30-7 at home to Shannon.
The visitors took the lead with two early penalties, but Corinthians got back into the game when Conor Murphy got in for a try, and his successful conversion saw the home side edge ahead.
That was as good as it got for Corinthians, however, as John Shine scored a try for Shannon which was converted by Tadhg Bennett for a 13-7 lead. They stretched that margin in the 52nd minute with an unconverted try form Lee Nichols, sand they completed the win with two tires from Stephen Fitzgerald, one of which was converted, to secure the bonus point.
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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