Sports
Late scoring burst sees Seasiders advance to semi-finals
Salthill-Knocknacarra 2-7
Caherlistrane 1-5
Alan Dooley at Tuam Stadium
Salthill-Knocknacarra ran out comfortable five point victors in the end on Sunday evening in Tuam Stadium, after blitzing Caherlistrane in the last 10 minutes of a dour quarter final. Marcus MacDonnacha’s goal was the key moment as Val Daly’s side powered over the finishing line with five unanswered scores.
Yet another blustery day with bursts of heavy rain in north Galway made for testing conditions, but that can only partially explain the dearth of quality in this contest. A defensive stalemate for large periods, neither side were overly impressive and it was more Salthill’s resilience and higher levels of fitness that won the day.
Caherlistrane had gotten themselves into a decent position when Oisín O’Brien flicked to the net and Cormac Bane pointed in the third quarter. Damningly, though, those two players were the only two to score on the day for Neil McHugh’s side, so that despite Cein D’Arcy’s excellent showing at midfield throughout, they had little or no chance of recovery once Salthill came with a charge.
Seán Armstrong, as always, played a key part in moving Salthill a step closer to their third county final in five years and was involved in all but three of their scores. Their other heroes, though, were working further back the field, as ‘keeper Evan Duffy, Ruaidhrí McTiernan, Conor Healy, and Gavin Duffy all helped to frustrate a Caherlistrane side who had scored 6-61 in their four games before Sunday.
After the first quarter here it was clear that this not going to be a shootout to enthral those in attendance. Playing against the prevailing wind, Salthill got off the mark on five minutes when Armstrong picked up a bloody nose after a tangle with Donal Feeney and Shane Kelly converted the free.
McTiernan and Duffy were sticking tightly to Bane and O’Brien at the other end, with Healy covering the hard yards to get back and help out his defense. Caherlistrane were utilising Brendan Murphy as a sweeper of their own, with Feeney also lying deep and this often left their forward unit heavily outnumbered whenever they tried to get forward.
Cein D’Arcy was doing most of their positive work from the off, immediately setting up a chance from the throw-in for Bane, but like much of their early efforts, his shot was weak and posed little threat. Caherlistrane’s early struggles were best summed up when Bane stood over an 11th minute free outside the scoring range and was pinged for taking too much time by referee Noel Dempsey.
Dempsey kept consistent, sensible control of the game throughout and he awarded Caherlistrane their first scoreable free when Duffy hit Bane with an illegal shoulder. Bane converted but was slightly wide and right on three other occasions from long range in the half, and Salthill-Knocknacarra almost hit them with a sucker punch soonafter.
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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