Sports
Rising Galway soccer star Manning joins Queens Park Rangers
GALWAY soccer star Ryan Manning completed his move to English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers yesterday (Thursday), signing a two and a half year contract with the West London club.
The Irish U-19 international completed his medical last week, and flew back to London on Wednesday in order to clear up the final pieces of paperwork before putting pen to paper with Harry Redknapp’s side, boosting an Irish contingent at the club that includes former Irish international, Richard Dunne.
The Cregmore teenager’s move to an English side has long being predicted – despite having to juggle both international duty with the Irish U-19 side, and studying for his Leaving Cert, in 2014, he was still one of Galway FC’s outstanding players as they won promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs at the first time of asking.
It was thought that Everton was going to be his ultimate destination – the Merseyside club had sent club scouts to watch him on a number of occasions in the past year – but speaking to City Sport on Wednesday night from his hotel room in London, Manning said the fact QPR moved so decisively made it an easy decision for him.
“I was in Oranmore one Sunday night a few weeks ago with a few of my friends, and when I got home, Dad said QPR had phoned and wanted to meet me. We travelled over the following Wednesday for a chat and a look around the ground and facilities and that was it really.
“Myself and Dad met with Harry Redknapp and Les Ferdinand [the club’s Head of Football operations]in Harry’s office and we had a chat for a few hours and got on very well. Everton were over a few times to look at me playing, and Tottenham Hotspur were interested as well, but I just felt QPR was a better opportunity for me, and yeah, the fact they were so keen obviously made a difference as well – phoning on a Sunday and having me over within a few days for a chat,” Manning explained on Wednesday night.
It can often be the subtle things that make a difference, and you have to imagine the fact that Ferdinand himself made sure Manning and his father, Phelim, got to Heathrow Airport on time to make their flight back to Ireland did not go unnoticed by the pair.
“It was funny, after the chat we had to get to the airport to catch our flight, but we couldn’t get a taxi. We were being told it would take up to 45 minutes, and we were getting a bit anxious as we were in danger of missing our flight, but Les walked past and said he was heading that way, so we got a lift with him to the airport in his Range Rover and made it on time!” Manning said.
He admits that becoming a full-time professional footballer is the realisation of a boyhood dream, but he is also mature enough to know that there is a lot of hard work ahead of him as he bids to make his mark with his new club.
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.
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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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