Sports
Holland thrives as Turloughmore get title hopes back on track
Turloughmore 2-12
Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry 2-10
TURLOUGHMORE got their Salthill Hotel SHC campaign back on track in front of a sizeable crowd at Kenny Park, Athenry last Friday evening when they had two points to spare over Group C rivals Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry after both sides missed several scoring chances.
The winners shot 15 wides in total and will have to sharpen up considerably if they are to make any impression from now on. Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry had a dozen efforts off target and had they converted even a fraction of those they might well have snatched a vital win to go with the point from their draw with Beagh in their previous game.
They will have regrets about this result but, in truth, Tynagh/Abbey-Duiniry did not play to their full potential and their persistence in indulging in short passing and careless cross-field balls played into the hands of Turloughmore who themselves looked far from the finished article.
In fairness to the winners, however, they were getting over some background upheaval and, in the circumstances, the victory was all that mattered following their surprise defeat to Craughwell last time out.
New Turlough’ boss Gerry Holland will be delighted with the brace of points and, considering their display over the hour, it were deserved although they had to withstand a spirited late rally by Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry. A late Padraig Breheny goal had the Hoops hanging on nervously after they held a five-point lead with three minutes remaining.
Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry’s other goal was also a late score, but it came in the first half when Paul Gordon’s long delivery reached corner-forward Padraig Robinson who netted from close in to reduce the 2-6 to 0-7 deficit and leave them trailing by just two points at the break after Turloughmore had dominated much of the first period.
Despite shooting four wides in the opening six minutes, Turloughmore who, of course, had three Galway defenders (Fergal Moore, Ronan Burke and his brother Daithi) at the back and with promising young minor Jamie Holland partnering Darren O’Shaughnessy at midfield, were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead thanks to a goal by Ronan Badger after early points by Cian Burke and Jamie Holland from a free.
Just when Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry had got back into the game via points by Colm Larkin and a great free by Shane Moloney, they were dealt another blow when Conor Shaughnessy struck for goal number two and a 2-2 to 0-2 lead with ten minutes gone. The men in green were gradually settling into the game though and were boosted by a fine point hit on the run by Padraig Breheny after he collected a clever Paul Gordon flick.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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
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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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