Sports
Morrissey the hero as Glenamaddy girls shade it
Glenamaddy CS 0-8
Mercy Tuam 1-4
YOU wouldn’t think it from the scoreline but last Friday’s Connacht Ladies Football Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ final between reigning All-Ireland champions Glenamaddy CS and Scoil Bride Mercy, Tuam was an epic ordeal for players and supporters alike.
When the final whistle sounded late in the afternoon in Clonberne, it was the holders Glenamaddy CS, after a dour struggle in bitterly cold conditions, who were left standing – but only just! Really, this contest could have gone either way.
The day began in ignominious fashion. Originally scheduled to be played in Ballintubber, Roscommon, the fixture was subsequently moved to the upper pitch in Clonberne after St. Croan’s GAA club officials pulled the pitch approximately 20 minutes before the teams were due to take the field.
What was worse, the club officials let referee Sandra Shanagher enter the pitch, walk it and give it her blessing and then vigorously protested that it was not playable. If they felt that strongly about it, they should have pulled it sooner. It was baffling and reflected badly on the club.
As it was, Clonberne came to the rescue and an hour and a half after the 12 noon start time the Connacht senior ‘A’ decider finally got underway – and it did so with a bang. From the throw in, Mercy Tuam midfielder Siobhan Divilly seized possession and raiding forward found captain Chelsey Blade.
Taken down in the large rectangle, the Corofin livewire subsequently brushed herself off to step up and take a penalty any Premiership player would be proud of. The underdogs were off the mark and in a tie in which scores were few and far between, it was a major statement of intent from Alan Molloy’s outfit.
However, instead of driving on from it, Mercy Tuam found themselves on the back-foot for the majority of the first half. Within minutes, Glenamaddy’s Rebecca Kelly had kicked two points – the first after Ailish Morrissey found her with a quick free and the second following good play from Lynsey Noone.
They possibly should also have bagged a goal themselves in this period after Amy Mee saw a first-time punched effort jettison just inches wide. In any event, Morrissey was on hand midway through the first half to tie up the game with a super point from an acute angle.
In truth, their first minute penalty goal aside, Mercy Tuam were befuddled with Glenamaddy’s set-up, which had Chloe Costello playing as a sweeper to great effect. It ensured John Kennedy’s side coughed up little defensively while they still managed to create a high volume of chances up front – 16 in all.
The only problem was that they should have converted more of them and when the game was in the proverbial fire in the dying minutes, it seemed Glenamaddy CS might just regret the five wides along with four efforts they dropped short in the opening 30 minutes.
They could also have plundered Mercy Tuam for three goals, including Mee’s fisted effort, but in saying that goalkeeper Karen Connolly ran a tight ship at the back, saving another 21st minute Mee effort and intercepting a through ball that almost put midfielder Kelly in for a goal chance.
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.
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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