Sports
NUI Galway handed tough draw in 2015 Collingwood Cup
NUI Galway have been given a nightmare draw for the 2015 Collingwood Cup, which it will host in February to mark its 100-year involvement in the tournament.
The draw was made in the Connacht Hotel on Wednesday, and sees the four semi-finalists from last year’s Collingwood Cup – including NUI Galway – all drawn in the same half of the draw. John ‘Jumbo’ Brennan’s side were given a First Round bye, but that was as about the best news for the side, which will be hoping to capture the title for the seventh time in its history, and the first time since 1999.
Next year’s hosts were the last seeded team out of the pot, and as a result will meet DCU – who they beat 2-0 in last year’s semi-finals – in the quarter-final.
If they get over that hurdle, they will meet either UCC or defending champions NUI Maynooth in the Collingwood Cup semi-final – NUI Maynooth won the 2014 tournament thanks to 2-1 win over NUI Galway in Belfield back in February, having first beaten UCC 2-0 in the semi-final.
“I’m happy enough with the draw, especially with having a First Round bye. I think playing on the first day is important if you are away at a tournament, it gives you a chance to build momentum early, but when you are hosting the event, it is good to have that extra day before you get going,” Brennan said.
The draw was also attended by city native Stephen O’Donnell, who captained Dundalk to the Airtricity League Premier Division title in 2014. The midfielder is assistant manager to Declan Roche at DCU, and he admitted his side had been handed a tough draw.
“It is the tough side of the draw, there is no doubt about that – all four of last year’s semi-finalists been grouped in the one half, and we meet NUI Galway again who knocked us out in the last four last year, but that’s the luck of the draw,” he said.
The Collingwood Cup kicks-off on Monday February 23 with the First Round games, with the quarter-finals to be played on Tuesday February 24; the semi-finals on Wednesday February 24; with the final, which will be played in Eamonn Deacy Park and televised on Irish TV (channel 191 on Sky; 400 on Freesat), being played on Thursday February 26.
“I am always amazed the way the Galway football family embraces the Collingwood Cup,” said Terry McAuley, the Chairman of the Irish Universities Football Union, at the launch.
“Both Mervue United and Salthill Devon have offered the use of their facilities for the 2015 tournament and I want to extend a big ‘thank-you’ to them – trying to play 18 games over four days is a challenge, so we are very grateful to those two clubs for their assistance,” he said.
2015 Collingwood Cup draw
First Round, Monday Feb 23: (A) UL v UU Coleraine; (B) RCSI v Trinity College; (C) UU Jordanstown v UCD; (D) Mary Immaculate v Queens.
Quarter-finals, Tuesday Feb 24: (1) Winners A v Winners B; (2) Winners C v Winners D; (3) NUI Maynooth v UCC; (4) DCU v NUI Galway.
Wed Feb 25, semi-finals: Winners 1 v Winners 2; Winners 3 v Winners 4.
Thurs Feb 26, final.
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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