Sports
Oileáin Arann footballers now take Connacht by storm
Oileáin Arann 0-16
Achill 0-8
IT was Galway champions Oileáin Árann who came out on top of this so-called ‘All-Island’ final to claim the Connacht Junior football crown for the first time in their history. The victors were made to work hard for their win as Achill put it up to them, only to fall away in the final third.
Just two points separated the sides heading into the 40th minute but a run of seven scores in a row for Árainn saw them cruise past the finishing post. The Galway side looked in control for much of the game and the chatter about any potential All-Ireland success only grew stronger amongst the sizeable crowd in Tuam Stadium.
Ciarán Foley’s side have a strength in depth that the islanders have lacked in previous years and their options have only increased with a crop of talented youngsters, such as centre-back Colm Ó Breannáin, and the return of the likes of Aonghus Ó hIarnáin from long-term injury.
Árainn got off to a fantastic start when a well taken point by Stiofán Ó hIarnáin had them ahead inside 20 seconds. By the fourth minute, they were 0-3 to 0-0 in front, wing-forward Eoghan Póill dispatching two close-range frees.
Johanathan Fadian, the 19 year old who was Achill’s hero in their semi-final win over Roscommon’s Michael Glavey’s, registered the Mayo side’s first point with five minutes on the clock. Achill settled into the contest at this juncture, but the points were still coming easier to the team from Galway Bay.
Aonghus Ó hIarnáin stretched the lead to three again, fisting over after creating space for himself with a neat turn and Árainn had a chance of a goal when Peadar Éinne Seoighe’s shot fell short of the posts but full-forward Máirtín ‘Maggie’ Seoighe could only fist the dropping ball over the bar.
For their part, Achill were showing some patient attacking play but Árainn’s backs were denying them the space needed to find a score. Achill shots were twice blocked down in quick succession in the 10th minute and while Pee Sweeney did fire over the resulting ’45, the Mayomen’s inside line were being well marshalled by Ciarán Ó Domhnaill and his two corner-backs.
With five minutes to go until half-time, Eoghan Póill and Pee Sweeeny traded frees to make it 0-7 to 0-4. As the clock ticked into injury time, Árainn midfielder Peadar Éinne Seoighe, who had been as influentiual as usual but had yet to make his mark on the scoreboard, found himself in space 45m out and effortlessy stroked over a fine score to give his side a four point cushion at the break, 0-8 to 0-4.
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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