Sports
Micheal Breathnach too strong in West Board U-21 final
Mícheál Breathnach 1-11
Clifden 1-5
MICHEÁL Breathnach’s footballers are the West Board U21 B champions for 2016 after they produced a strong second half performance to see off Naomh Fheichín of Clifden in last Saturday’s final. The eventual winners outscored their opponents 1-7 to 0-2 in that final 30 minutes as they turned a two point arrears at half time into a six point victory.
That Clifden were kept to such a low second half total was in large part to the superb performance of Rónán Ó Beoláin in the Micheál Breathnach’s goal. With Clifden searching for a route back into the game in the final ten minutes, Ó Beoláin pulled off four quality saves, including from an Emmet Moran penalty, to deny his opponents the goal they desperately needed.
It was Clifden who opened the scoring early in the first half when Feichín Mitchell pointed a free with two minutes on the clock. A Ruadhán Ó Curraoin free got Micheál Breathnach off the mark a couple of minutes later before the defining score of the first half came in the 15th minute.
Clifden’s Colm Coneys found himself unmarked in acres of space in front of the Micheál Breathnach’s goal. When the ball was eventually played into him, the wing-forward made no mistake with his finish, firing powerfully past Ó Beolain at the near post.
That left Clifden 1-1 to 0-1 ahead but Micheál Breathnach responded positively to the concession of the goal and were soon back to within a point after two well-worked scores. Ciaráin Ó Tuathail first pointed after the ball was worked in from the left wing before the Cois Fharraige side’s other wing-forward, Brian Ó Maoileoin, fired over after Jordan Folan and Pádraig Ó Féinneadha were involved in the build up.
Two Feichín Mitchell frees brought Clifden’s lead back out to three towards the end of the opening period but Ruaidhrí Óg Ó Béarra’s point with virtually the last kick of the half meant Micheál Breathnach only trailed by two, 1-3 to 0-4, at the interval.
While Clifden were yet to score a point from play, alarm bells would not quite have been ringing at this stage as their build-up play was still positive. That was to change drastically in the 15 minutes after the restart, however.
Micheál Breathnach signalled their intent when midfielder Jordan Folan pointed in the first minute of the second half and his side were ahead for the first time in the contest by the 37th minute. Micheál Breathnach full-forward Dara Mac Gearailt drew his side level with a free before full-back Caoimhín Ó Maoileoin launched a long ball forward from full back which was allowed bounce in front of goal and over the bar to put the Cois Fharraige side ahead, 0-7 to 1-3.
Full match report in 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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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