Sports
Surprising league loss to Cavan proves big reality check
Galway 0-10
Cavan 0-12
FOR the second successive Sunday the Galway senior footballers were left counting the cost of missed goal opportunities as Cavan, inspired by the excellent shooting of substitute Martin Dunne, came with a late run to deservedly pocket the two points on offer at Pearse Stadium.
Despite being armed with a 0-7 to 0-2 lead at the break, having played with the aid of a favourable wind blowing in towards Arus Bothar na Trá, Galway never looked in control of this Division Two contest as Cavan funnelled bodies back into a blanket defence that the home side struggled desperately to unlock.
When the chances to put clear daylight between the sides came, either side of the interval, Galway were not clinical enough to take them, as Danny Cummins blazed over the bar in a one-on-one situation before Paul Conroy inexplicably ignored a three-on-two overlap, with Michael Martin well placed inside, and opted to shoot for his own point. To compound the error, Conroy’s shot drifted horribly wide.
Cavan took full advantage of this second let-off, impressively outscoring the natives by five points to one in the closing ten minutes to seal a victory which moves Terry Hyland’s well-drilled side above Galway in the table. Kevin Walsh’s men will seek a reversal of fortunes against Laois this Sunday but should the same level of performance transpire then Galway will quickly be sucked into a relegation dogfight.
From the off, Cavan realigned defensively and pulled Ronan Flanagan, a defender by trade but named in the half forward line, back to the last line of defence to mark Adrian Varley. Conor Moynagh then assumed a roving sweeper role and blocked off one of Galway’s preferred delivery routes into the left corner to telling effect.
Both full back lines were on top in the early stages as the play meandered from end to end, with the early kick-off time perhaps contributing to both sides appearing leaden-footed. Galway full-back Finian Hanley twice broke up early Cavan forays, and Paul Conroy kicked the first score of the day on five minutes when using the wind to good effect to land a fine point from distance.
With Galway also committing extra numbers to defensive duties, Cavan were ponderous in attack, with only a Fergal Flanagan wide to their name by the ten minute mark. Galway kicked their second point when Gareth Bradshaw powered through the centre onto an Adrian Varley handpass to win a free that Conroy tapped over.
Michael Martin duly added another free from a tighter angle on the right, and the game for now appeared to be going to plan for the home side. Finally, though, Cavan got off the mark when Cian Mackey fed Jack Brady in the left corner, and Brady worked himself some space before firing over a good point.
More worrying was the sight of Cavan’s Tomas Corr cleanly fielding the resultant kick-out and, with Galway beginning to struggle around the middle third, ‘keeper Manus Breathnach began to resort to a short kick to utilise the numerical advantage in defence. While guaranteeing possession, it also slowed down Galway’s progress forward and allowed Cavan to regroup.
Good work by Danny Cummins on 18 minutes, for the second time forcing a turnover with a good tackle, led to arguably Galway’s best score of the half when Sean Denvir, with little clear options ahead of him, floated a clever pass over the head of Damien Comer, who duly split the posts to put Galway 0-4 to 0-1 in front.
Aware that the game could easily be slipping away, Hyland introduced Martin Dunne on 23 minutes, forcing another reshuffle as corner-back Killian Brady made way. Dunne’s impact was almost instantaneous, as he picked up a ball in the right corner, from where he had no right to score, but score he did with a beautiful curling effort.
Cavan were then awarded a penalty when half-back James McEnroe galloped forward down the right before being hauled down by the retreating Denvir. After a disciplined opening where Galway had not conceded a single scoreable free, they were now facing a spot-kick which could have given the Ulster side the lead.
For more, read 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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