Sports
In-form Galway FC on the brink of clinching promotion play-off place
GALWAY FC could wrap-up a promotion play-off place tomorrow with a win against Cobh Ramblers in St Colman’s Park (7.45pm), while even a draw might be enough depending on Wexford Youths’ result against Shamrock Rovers B tonight.
Tommy Dunne’s side go into the weekend third in the table, five points ahead of Wexford Youths, and if Wexford fail to win tonight and Galway FC take all three points against basement side Cobh tomorrow, then their place in the play-off is guaranteed.
“There is nothing guaranteed yet, we have to go to Cobh and it is as tough a place to go in the division. The pitch is terrible, they have a very young side who are very ‘gamey’ and will just keep coming and coming at you, and they are physical enough as well.
“For me, the ground is the kind of place where you go there and can be lulled into a false sense of security, you think ‘we’ll be fine here’ and next thing you know you’ve been hit for a couple of goals.
“I watched them last week against Longford and down there against Wexford – they should have been three up against Longford; and against Wexford, they were done at the end with a last minute equaliser after absolutely playing them off the park.
“When we went down there earlier in the season they battered us at the start, they took an early lead and we should have been three down before we got one back, and the game changed when they had a man sent-off, but up to that, they were right on top of us. They beat Finn Harps in their last home game, they won’t be a pushover,” Dunne told Tribune Sport yesterday.
It is understandable Dunne is trying to dampen expectations, though his assertion that “we have a tougher game this weekend than Wexford” is, on the face of things, taking things a little too far.
Shamrock Rovers B host the men from the South East in Tallaght Stadium tonight, and while Wexford have the Indian sign over them – winning all three league meetings to date – Colin Hawkins’ side are a far more formidable opposition than Cobh.
The Cork outfit have won just two games all season and are guaranteed to finish bottom of the table, and Galway have put 13 goals past them in their three league meetings to date. Anything less than a comprehensive win tomorrow night would be a surprise, though not in Dunne’s eyes.
“We are still improving but I’m taking nothing for granted against Cobh. Yes, if we win and Wexford don’t, we are in the play-off, but if we have to wait to the last game to get it, then I’ll be happy – as long as we get it.
“What that would mean, though, is that we didn’t do our job against Cobh and next week against Shels – if it comes down to the last game at home to Wexford, then you’ve slipped up and they will go into that game in the ascendency, so we need to get the job done, and as far as I’m concerned, that means winning in Cobh and getting a result in Shels,” Dunne said.
For more, read this week’s Galway City 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
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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