Connacht Tribune
No shadow boxing for Galway hurlers against Limerick
AS Galway senior hurlers head to the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday (3pm) for a National League showdown against Limerick, selector Francis Forde has admitted the Tribesmen are keen to win this one if only to alleviate some of the hurt of their surprise early season defeat to Wexford.
With Galway, Limerick and Wexford looking a class apart from everyone else in Division 1B, stern tests of credentials have been few and far between. Consequently, it has been grating on the Tribesmen that they have already flunked one of the two examinations they had to face in this division.
“Yeah, apart from anything else, we weren’t happy with the Wexford result,” said Forde. “Elements of the performance were good – we got ourselves into a winning position twice – so we would be disappointed with the fact that we let that slip. I suppose, you have to look at yourself first as a management and then you look at the players.
“Yes, we were disappointed as a management but there was no one more disappointed than the players. We have had a good chat about it over the last few weeks and we said we have to move on. And part of moving on is getting a result against Limerick to be honest with you.
This is the first time since that we have met one of the top teams. So, we are looking for a bit of redemption on that score. That is a fair enough objective,” he stated.
It arguably didn’t help that this Sunday’s game was billed at the outset of the National League as the promotion-decider – much to the annoyance of a highly-motivated Wexford who recorded victories over both to steal top spot. At any rate, this final group fixture has now been reduced to a jostle for position on the Division 1B league table.
On any other year, with promotion out of reach, it would be immaterial where Galway or Limerick finish on the league table – both have already qualified for the quarter-finals – but if one is to believe the whispers, this is not the case this time round.
Due to the lop-sided nature of Division 1B – Galway, Wexford and Limerick have by and large savaged the rest of the field – it has been rumoured that a restructuring of the National League could now possibly take place with the top two teams from Division 1B to be absorbed into a new Division 1.
Forde was not convinced. “Firstly, from my own point of view, that is not a factor. The bottom line is we want to win the game. There is no question about that. I think what is being said (about the top two finish) is a bit of loose talk really – going back to eight. I don’t see it happening.
Full preview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
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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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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht 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.
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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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
