Connacht Tribune
Turloughmore turn the tables on county champions
Turloughmore 1-13
St. Thomas’ 0-15
WHEN David Burke fired St. Thomas’ into a one-point lead as normal time elapsed on Saturday evening, it looked for all money as if the reigning county champions would record the first win in Group 2 of the Senior A section, and that Turloughmore would be left to reflect on what might have been from an earlier position of strength.
James Horan’s side had only scored two points in the second half, both from placed balls, and St. Thomas’ had fired over three on the trot in the final ten minutes to finally take the lead after a much-improved second half performance. Surely John Burke’s side would see this one out to grab the precious two points on offer.
However, there were to be not just one but two final twists in the tale, as Turloughmore were awarded two long range frees within sixty seconds of each other, the second and most crucial of which seemed a very borderline call, and Jamie Holland stood tall to strike both with conviction and accuracy and spark joyous scenes on the Turloughmore sideline.
Make no mistake, this is a win of much significance to Turloughmore’s new management ticket, who are competing in shark infested waters very early in the year. St. Thomas’ had 17 points to spare when the sides met last year, so this was some turnaround and while there were obvious flaws to the Turlough performance, their commitment and intensity made up for those deficiencies and drove them to victory.
The most glaring of those flaws was that only three players managed to register a score for Turloughmore, and only four scores came from play over the course of the game. They were fortunate that St. Thomas’ accuracy levels were unusually poor, none more so than in the opening minutes.
Five times the umpires signalled wides as St. Thomas’ started briskly for no reward. Holland eventually got the new digital scoreboard in Kenny Park working with a sixth minute free that was followed by a decent effort from play after good work by Matthew Keating, better known as a defender but stationed for this game at centre half forward.
St. Thomas’ eventually drew level as their inside forwards Kenneth Burke and Brendan Farrell both clipped over good scores, before Barry McDonagh edged Turloughmore back in front. James Regan and David Burke were working well together in the St. Thomas’ engine room, and a long range Conor Cooney free and Kenneth Burke’s second put them 0-4 to 0-3 ahead.
From there to the break, though, Turloughmore wrestled back control of proceedings and Holland drove over two frees before landing an audacious sideline cut from just in front of the dugouts. Vincent Doyle then fluffed a goal chance after Cooney had knocked over a free at the other end, before Holland was called into action once more and obliged in the 23rd and 24th minute from frees.
St. Thomas’ were under the cosh but Cooney’s ability from distance got them another score on 28 minutes, but Turloughmore swiftly replied through McDonagh before Holland dropped a long distance free short and Keating held off a challenge to catch cleanly, turn and fire to the net passed Patrick Skehill.
Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
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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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht 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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
