Sports
Oileaín Árainn secure Comórtas Peile title
It was a weekend of highs and lows for the Galway teams competing in Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta last weekend. Clubs from around the country descended upon Maigh Cuilinn for the annual competition in search of being crowned the All-Ireland Gaeltacht champions of 2014.
With five trophies up for grabs in men’s and ladies Senior and Junior competitions, as well as a ladies Intermediate cup, teams from the Connemara Gaeltacht were victorious in three grades. Oileaín Árainn won the men’s Junior competition while Bearna and Maigh Cuilinn took home the ladies Intermediate and Junior cups respectively.
There was heartbreak for Galway clubs at Senior level as sides in both codes fell to strong teams from Donegal. Mícheál Breathnachs lost out to Cill Chartha in the men’s final while An Tearmann beat An Fhairche in the ladies decider.
The Senior final proved to be a step too far for Mícheál Breathnachs as the physical toll of a long weekend of football seemed to hold them back in Monday’s game. There can be no doubt that the Galway team were given the tough side of the draw as they were forced into playing a game more than most of their opponents.
Their weekend got off to a tough start on Saturday as they faced off against the champions of the last two years, Gaoth Dobhair. A late point from Maidhc Ó Conghaile was enough as Mícheál Breathnachs scraped by in a bruising encounter, 1-11 to 2-7, before requiring extra-time to get past Cill tSeadhna of Mayo later that evening. The Connemara side needed to come from behind again to see off An Ghaeltacht of Kerry in Sunday’s semi-final.
By the time the Senior final kicked off on Monday afternoon, the effort of a fourth taxing game in 48 hours looked to be beyond Mícheál Breathnachs. Already without Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa, Kevin Walsh’s men also had a number of walking wounded heading into the final. When midfielder Tommy Ó Conghaile was stretchered off 10 minutes into the Monday’s game, things looked bleak for Mícheál Breathnachs, not only in terms of the game they were playing, but also with an eye on the opening round of the football championship this weekend.
All this being said, most teams at full strength would have had difficulties beating a hugely impressive Cill Chartha side. Their starting 15 had a number of Donegal stars, past and present, as well as youngsters who will surely represent the Tír Conaill men in the future. The spine of the Cill Chartha team was featured county star Ryan McHugh, his All-Ireland winning brother Mark, and former-Donegal player Michael Hegarty.
Extended 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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