Sports
Stalemate outcome ends league hopes of Rangers
THE task was to win their final three games in their chase for title honours, but Corrib Rangers came up against an immovable object in the form of Athenry on Sunday morning and a shared outcome ended the city side’s ambitions, but was enough for the visitors to be crowned Brod Trill Premier Division champions.
In the First Division, a last minute equaliser deprived Salthill Devon of an automatic promotion spot as they shared the spoils with a Colemanstown United side who were crowned champions as a result.
Now a rare Conor Beatty special, allied to a Christian Ryan free kick, rewarded West United B with a Joe Ryan Cup final victory over West Coast United and, no doubt, the club will celebrate the win at their 70th Anniversary celebrations this weekend.
The weekend also saw Galway League clubs dominate at the Connacht Schoolboy Cup and Shield finals in Sligo where they won all eight titles at stake, with major honours for Mervue United (two), Hibernians and Salthill Devon.
Corrib Rangers 2
Athenry 2
Two down at the break, the home side’s Premier Division title ambitions looked to be dead and buried before a spirited second half revival saw them level matters, but it was of no avail as Athenry hung on gamely in the closing minutes for the required point to be confirmed as champions.
With games in hand, Rangers had to win all their remaining contests in order to overtake leaders Athenry and win a first ever title, but the stumbling block were Seamie Crowe’s side who did what they had to do as they won their first title in five seasons.
It was certainly the visitors who made the greater early impression and after Dan Cunningham was taken down in the box on just five minutes, they had a great opportunity to make an early break though – but a smart double Conor Sweeney save kept out Colm O’Donovan’s penalty and the rebound.
They were not to denied three minutes later when Cathal Fahy headed home from close range, while just an off target Paul Smith header threatened at the other end. David Goldbey was wild and wide with a lash at goal, before Athenry upped their game again in the second quarter.
Fahy was just wide with a header, while O’Donovan had a penalty claim waved away when going down under the pressure of a Murray challenge. However, the striker did little wrong on 40 minutes, when he curled a stunning effort from well outside the box, beyond the reach of Sweeney for a 2-0 advantage.
The second half saw a role reversal as Rangers took over with the neat Jason Murphy and Johnny O’Brien gaining them some forward momentum. They pulled one back with a terrific Goldbey header on 52 minutes as the striker strained himself to get on the end of a Smith cross to make it 2-1.
Ger Bane and Brian Connolly were just off target with close range headers before the home side were awarded a penalty on 67 minutes, after Goldbey went down in the box. O’Brien slotted home the resulting spot kick to tie up matters.
While Athenry offered the occasional attacking foray as Sweeney thwarted Gary Forde and Cathal Fahy, the main threat was coming from Rangers. However, a resolute Athenry defence held firm as just set pieces offered the home side the best prospects of a breakthrough.
Evan Preston Kelly got no power into a close range shot following a Connolly corner, while Bane’s far post touch in the closing minute went just the wrong side of the post. O’Brien was wild with a free kick and as the clock ran down, the home side ran out of time in their title quest.
Corrib Rangers: Sweeney, O’Connor, Murray (Barbu 80mins), Bane, Preston Kelly, Murphy, Connolly, O’Brien, Smith, Goldbey, Sibanda.
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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