Sports
Mervue miss chance to close the gap on leaders in dour stalemate
Jason Byrne at Fahy’s Field
Mervue United missed out on the chance to regain ground on the leaders of the Airtricity League First Division on Friday night as their encounter with Wexford Youths somehow finished a stalemate.
The opening half was largely forgettable, despite Mervue creating an early chance when Barry O’Mahoney’s cross was headed over by Paul Sinnott.
On 15 minutes a neat move from the hosts on the right flank saw Tom King use his pace to keep the ball in play and cross for the waiting Brendan Lavelle, whose first-time effort was saved by Graham Doyle but the offside flag was up on the far side.
The visitors finally began to apply pressure and two corners in a row came to nothing, but the game became a dour scrappy affair for the bulk of the opening half hereafter, despite the best efforts of Mervue wingers Michael Duffy and Tom King to try and create something.
The visitors had evidently learned from their last visit here, and were much tighter than the team which lost 4-1 at the venue back in April. They were now much tighter at the back and more vigilant in their challenges.
The last decent chance of note in the first half came after 33 minutes, when makeshift Mervue attacker Stephen Walsh nicked the ball off Patsy Malone, but he shot over when he should have at least hit the target.
Without suspended duo Ryan Manning and Jason Molloy and key central midfielder Gary Curran only named as a sub due to a calf strain, Mervue’s hand was weakened from before a ball was kicked.
After the restart Mervue showed early initiative once more, and Lavelle shot over when Doyle failed to clear his lines within the opening minute.
Five minutes later, Lavelle was through and struck one sweetly from the edge of the box, but it somehow clipped the underside of the post when it looked to be sailing home.
From this point onwards, Wexford began piling the pressure, and they should have gone in front when a thunderbolt from Brian Nolan was too hot for Conor Gleeson, but Graham Delaney’s effort from point-blank range was somehow stopped by Gleeson, who flung himself at it.
Two minutes later Danny Fitzpatrick had a go for Shane Keegan’s charges and again Gleeson could only parry to the waiting Delaney, and the winger failed to hit the target – this time blazing over.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
Connacht Tribune
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
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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CITY TRIBUNE
United wary of the threat from Treaty
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.
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Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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CITY TRIBUNE
Devon crowned Women’s Connacht Cup champions
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
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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.