Sports
Heartbreak for Mervue Utd in U-14 Soccer Cup final
There was to be no Irish Cup joy for Mervue United’s U-14 side in the SFAI Goodson Cup final on Sunday afternoon as a lack of a clinical touch eventually allowed holders St Francis to come from a goal down to take a second national title in succession at Jackson Park in Dublin.
Mervue Utd will rue a host of missed first-half chances and a blatant penalty claim after just three minutes which could have changed the complexion of the game as they dominated the opening half.
Having deservedly taken the lead just after the half hour mark through a Ronan Manning free-kick, the Galway side failed to convert their dominance onto the scoreboard and the Dublin side struck a sucker blow in first-half injury time to send the sides in level at the interval.
Despite that blow, Mervue had another excellent chance to hit the front just after the break but failed to take that before the holders showed they did possess a clinical side as they scored twice in five minute period to effectively seal the issue.
Mervue started very brightly and after just three minutes Aaron Connolly – who was a constant threat throughout the first-half – worked his way into the box and just as he was about to pull the trigger was upended, but Dublin referee Tom Shannon awarded St Francis a goalkick.
This setback didn’t seem to affect the young Mervue side as they poured forward in search of an opening goal. Just after the quarter hour mark Manning fed winger Adam Kelleher on the right and he picked out Connolly in the box. The striker took one touch before shooting, but he saw his effort brilliantly pushed away by the Francis keeper Sean Prenter.
Two minutes later and Connolly turned provider as he played a defence-splitting pass to release Kelleher through on the right and the winger advanced into the box but struck his effort just over Prenter’s crossbar. Manning then floated a free-kick into the danger area which Adam Rooney headed back across goal to Connolly who produced a wonderful overhead kick which flew just over Prenter’s crossbar.
Mervue took the lead on 31 minutes after Connolly had been foul about 35 yards away from goal and his strike partner Manning struck an effort past Prenter which did take a slight deflection on the way to the net.
The lead was no more than Mervue deserved and they continued to push forward with Connolly’s strength and power a constant cause for concern for the Dublin side, who were struggling to cope with the big number nine.
But they suffered a blow two minutes into first-half injury-time when St Francis left-back Jack Connor strode forward and unleashed a stunning strike which flew in over the head of Mervue goalkeeper Cian Mulryan to leave the game all square at the break.
Mervue could have hit the front two minutes after the restart as Connolly once again forced his way past two defenders before picking out Colin Kelly in the box and he side stepped the covering defender but saw his low effort well saved by Irish international ’keeper Prenter.
St Francis right back Conor Fitzharris almost headed past his own keeper just after as Prenter scrambled across his goal to bundled the ball away for a corner following a Kelleher ball into the box.
After showing very little in the opening half the Dublin side looked a different proposition in the second period and struck twice in that five minute spell between the 50th and 55th minutes through James Jennings.
Charlie Barry split the Mervue defence with a lovely ball which Jennings ran onto and slotted past Mulryan with the aid of the far post; and then struck a second within minutes as he finished at the back post following a throw into the box which wasn’t dealt with by the Mervue defence.
Mervue continued to battle and push hard to get back into the game as Eoin Broderick headed over and Connolly went close to reducing the deficit back to the minimum but they were caught out for a fourth goal with a minute to go as they pushed forward in numbers.
A long ball forward from impressive midfielder Jack Connolly saw Thomas Caffery chase the ball with covering defender Daniel Brennan as Mulryan advanced to clear but the ball fell to the winger and he cheekily back heeled the ball into the corner.
Huge disappointment for Mervue in the end but it could have been so different if that early penalty decision had gone their way and if they had made their opening half dominance count but they can hold their heads up high as they had already captured a treble this season winning both local league and cup and the provincial Connacht Cup title.
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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