Sports
New-look title race kicks off with a dozen group games in first round

WHEN the Californian Gold Rush began in 1848, loose gold nuggets could be picked as easily as flowers from the ground. The commencement of the restructured Galway senior hurling ‘A’ and ‘B’ championships is a bit like that with an abundance of group points readily available on the opening weekend.
It is worth noting, however, that only a minority of miners made it big in the ‘Gold Rush’ and the Galway senior hurling championship will be no different. There may be a maximum of 10 group points on offer now but it won’t be long before those begin to become scarce, forcing the SHC prospectors to dig deeper and harder for their quarry in the concluding group stages.
For their part, county champions Sarsfields already struck gold last year but in St. Thomas’ they face an opponent that will have no qualms in usurping the claim of the Bullaun/New Inn men. The pairing of two big guns at such an early stage is representative of how competitive the SHC is set to become.
Another mouthwatering fixture is that of 2015 finalists Craughwell and four-time All-Ireland champions Portumna, now back under the management of Jimmy Heverin. Understandably, Heverin has been keeping the head down going into this one and you can’t blame him.
Residing in Craughwell, he managed the club’s seniors in 2012 which, ironically, was the last time Craughwell won a first round fixture. Craughwell also took a beating from Portumna under his stewardship so there are more sub-plots to this tie than a Christmas edition of a TV soap.
To mark the commencement of the senior and intermediate championships, Galway GAA has produced a magnificent 64-page programme – a must for all hurling enthusiasts – which will be readily available to purchase at all championship games.
SENIOR A
SATURDAY
Padraig Pearses v Ardrahan
Kenny Park, Athenry 5pm
The absence of Johnny Glynn (USA), Pat Holland (hip) and John Greene (unavailable) leaves big boots to fill in the Ardrahan team but U-21 boss and interim senior manager Jamie Larkin does have a good crop of young players coming through, including 2015 All-Ireland minor winners Cianan Fahy and Liam Forde.
Pearses have been solid campaigners in recent years and they should be again this year. Martin Tierney returns as manager and should have Cormac Ward – who manages a tricky knee injury that has threatened to cut short his hurling career – available for game time. Noel McDonagh, on a permission to play with Pearses U-21s, returns to Mountbellew-Moylough for their junior campaign.
Last SHC Meeting: 2015 (Group Stages) Padraig Pearses 2-20 v Ardrahan 1-17.
Verdict: Padraig Pearses.
Sarsfields v
St. Thomas’
Kenny Park, Athenry 6:30pm
Panellists Kieran Kelly (groin) has returned to training for champions Sarsfields but Stephen Earls (broken hand), Jeffrey Lawless (broken finger) and Dylan Madden (knee) are all still out. Diarmuid Murray and Thomas Spellman, two influential players, will miss the year with cruciate injuries.
Title contenders St. Thomas’ are waiting on a number of injuries to clear up this week – Galway captain David Burke among them – but manager John Burke is hopeful of having a clean bill of health. Star forward Conor Cooney is back in training but this game may have come too soon.
Last SHC Meeting: 2011 (Group Stages) Sarsfields 1-18 v St. Thomas’ 0-18.
Verdict: Sarsfields.
Cappataggle v Liam Mellows
Gort, 5pm
With injuries to a host of frontline players, the strength and depth of Cappataggle’s squad will be tested this weekend, according to manager Tony Nevin. Thomas Broderick is abroad while Michael Broderick (cruciate), Stephen Creaven (shoulder) and Kevin Kelly (hamstring) are among those on the treatment table. Kelly is the closest to making a recovery.
Desperately unlucky not to make the semi-finals of last year’s championship, Liam Mellows will be looking to push on in 2016. In Tadgh Haran, Adrian Morrissey and Aonghus Callanan they have three devastating forwards while the acquisition of Conor Kavanagh from Kinvara and the return of Shane Minton also increases their options. Manager Conor Donovan reported a clean bill of health.
Last SHC Meeting: 2009 (Group Stages) Cappataggle 3-10 v Liam Mellows 3-10.
Verdict: Liam Mellows.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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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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.
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
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.