Sports
Youthful Sarsfields seize the day by securing historic title

Sarsfields 1-13
Mullagh 1-8
TWENTY-seven years to the day that he captained his club to county senior hurling glory, Michael ‘Hopper’ McGrath oversaw an historic success last Saturday when Sarsfields were crowned senior camogie champions for the first time ever.
In a contest equally as intense and entertaining as the first instalment six days earlier, it took a Siobhan McGrath goal six minutes from time to finally put distance between two evenly matched sides as her sister Orlaith got the honour of lifting the Catherine Donnellan Cup.
Throughout the field, Sarsfields fought for every ball including a rock solid defence who limited chances for their opponents while, at critical stages, the New Inn/Bullaun/ Woodford outfit picked off crucial points.
But likewise, Mullagh played their part battling back into contention after Patricia Manning’s 28th minute major and had another couple of goal chances gone their way, this replay could have had a different outcome.
Spectator interest had increased following the pulsating drawn game in Athenry and the throw-in had to be delayed nearly 10 minutes due to the huge crowd arriving.
Mullagh started brightly, with Aoife Donohue out on the left wing and they won a free in the second minute which the county player landed for the opening score.
However, Sarsfields responded within 60 seconds as Niamh McGrath found the target to level affairs before her side built a three-point lead.
While Donohue and McGrath have proved reliable from placed balls, early scores from play would give one side the initiative and Sarsfields seized it. Orlaith McGrath converted on eight minutes before Maria Cooney split the posts within a minute. When Niamh McGrath sent over a second free on 13 minutes, Sarsfields led 0-4 to 0-1.
Sarsfields looked to be spreading the ball much better than persisting with deliveries to Siobhan McGrath who would make her impact be felt. In contrast, Mullagh’s tactic was to try and supply Donohue and Collette Hardiman but often left themselves short on numbers as they pulled players back to try win the midfield exchanges.
A Donohue free on 15 minutes reduced the deficit but Sarsfields were enjoying the breaks. Siobhan McGrath, scoreless in the drawn game, opened her account within 60 seconds before Orlaith McGrath won two frees which her sister Niamh converted to stretch their lead to 0-7 to 0-2.
Mullagh needed the rub of the green and they got their chance on 22 minutes. An attack involving Donohue led to Therese Manton being taken down for a penalty. Goalkeeper Caitriona Daly came the length of the field for the resulting shot but a player travelling a similar distance, full forward Cooney blocked it on the line.
A chance went abegging for Mullagh but they were starting to test the Sarsfields defence. Beforehand, Niamh McGrath hit back with a free putting six between the teams before Mullagh countered only for Colette Glennon’s fierce effort to shave the wrong side of the post.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents

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
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.
CITY TRIBUNE
United wary of the threat from Treaty

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.
CITY TRIBUNE
Devon crowned Women’s Connacht Cup champions

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.