Sports
Perfect time for Connacht to record first win in Scotstoun over defending champions
Connacht travel to Glasgow with a genuine confidence they can record their first ever win over the Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium.
Ordinarily this evening’s (7.35pm) away fixture against the better of the two Scottish clubs is one to be chalked down as a damage-limitation exercise, where a losing bonus point would be savoured like victory. But not now.
Glasgow may have won the league last season, and deservedly so, but they are shorn of 20 of their best players who are unavailable due to World Cup commitments.
An away win is eminently achievable. If not now, when?
Connacht blew the cobwebs away in recording their fifth first-day victory in six seasons last Friday and that 29-23 win over Dragons at College Road will certainly boost morale ahead of the trip to Scotland.
The Westerners are without internationals Robbie Henshaw and Nathan White and have a number of players with injuries to survive without including Ronan Loughney, Jake Heenan, Eoin McKeon, Api Pewhairangi, Niyi Adeolokun and Darragh Leader.
But, apart from Kieran Marmion, who drops to the bench having not been able to train all week due to picking up a minor hip injury against Dragons – John Cooney gets the nod at scrum-half – Pat Lam has named the same starting XV that did the business last weekend.
Captain John Muldoon will reach the incredible milestone of lining out for the 250th occasion for his province – a proud achievement for the Portumna native.
He’s joined in the back row by Eoghan Masterson and Nepia Fox-Matamua, who scored the first Connacht try of the season on his debut.
The New Zealander also pinched possession at the breakdown in a vital intervention late-on that led to Fionn Carr’s try, which sealed the win.
That third Connacht try was exquisite – fleet-footed centre Bundee Aki earned his wages with a sweet line break deep in his own half before running 40 yards and setting up Carr, who also showed lightening pace to make it over in the corner.
It was needed, too. Despite Connacht’s good start, in which they led 14-3 at the break, Dragons had dragged themselves back into contention with a James Thomas try. With minutes remaining, the visitors were just two points in arrears and in possession in drop-goal territory in Connacht’s half of the field.
Connacht, in fairness, deserved the win overall but that passage of play highlighted the fine margins of sport at this level.
Former Connacht forwards’ coach, Dan McFarland is now second in command at Glasgow and it was unsurprising that head coach Gregor Townsend highlighted the visitors’ scrums and line-outs as areas of strength. He emphasised how Glasgow are looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Scarlets in front of their own fans.
“Connacht are a very good side who have a strong set-piece and come into this game off the back of a win against the Dragons last weekend. Our two opening fixtures were always going to be tough and we know we’ll have to perform very well to win. Our supporters created a fantastic atmosphere last Saturday and we’re looking forward to playing in front of them once again,” said Townsend.
For more, read this week’s Galway City 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.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
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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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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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