Sports

Anthony Cunningham resigns as Galway senior hurling manager

Published

7 years ago

November 16, 2015

Galway senior hurling manager Anthony Cunningham has tonight released a statement through the Galway GAA saying that he and his management team have resigned from their positions with immediate effect.

The move comes ahead of a meeting tonight to discuss the impasse in Galway over the past number of weeks when, following Cunningham’s ratification as manager for 2016, the Galway senior panel said they had lost confidence in him and his management team.

Cunningham, who led Galway to two All-Ireland finals in his four years in charge, said in his statement he was stepping down “with the best interests of Galway hurling in mind” but he hit out at what he described as a “kangaroo court decision, led by a core group of players” to try and have him ousted.

His statement in full reads as follows:

I, Anthony Cunningham incumbent Senior Hurling Manager since 2012, hereby confirm the
following:

Despite the fact that I was unanimously ratified and supported by the Galway GAA Clubs, the County Hurling and Galway County Committees and having reviewed the current impasse in detail over the past month, it is with great sadness tonight that I and my Management Team announce our resignation from our positions. I do so with the best interests of Galway Hurling in mind and with the priority of best assisting Galway hurling to build on the achievement of 2015.

As a Management team we have exhausted all avenues with support from the clubs, their delegates, the hurling fraternity and County Committees in the past month to bring this impasse to a conclusion and protect Galway Hurling. Despite extensive attempts at genuine dialogue including Independent Arbitration, there were no reasonable explanations offered or given as to the issues that players felt they had.

I believe that the players are misguided in that they are not taking the views of their county on board. They, through their actions, have shown scant respect for, and loyalty to the goodwill shown them by supporters, clubs and County GAA Committees and Management. I contend it is unreasonable to express a lack of confidence in management – how else could we have reached a winning position in an All-lreland Final last September?

I consider this a kangaroo court decision, led by a core group of players orchestrated with the help of others outside Galway, motivated by a desire to unjustly extend their lifespan as inter-county players placing personal agendas above the greater good of Galway Hurling. This goes to the very core of what our Association stands for-there is a national danger now that the democratic and voluntary ethos of the GAA is being overrun by groups of players that wish to indulge in the selection and termination of management.

Galway Hurling is bigger than any one individual and given that this current impasse shows no immediate sign of abating, I reluctantly conclude that it best that I now step aside.

I hold a deep conviction that the current Galway management team is the one best positioned to deliver Galway hurling to the next level and bring All-lreland Senior success to our county. I thank my family, my management team colleagues and their families for their support and I am very sensitive the hurt they have endured in the very recent past. I salute the county officials and officers and numerous volunteers who have given me magnificent support over the last five years.

With Disappointment & Sincerity,

Anthony Cunningham

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CITY TRIBUNE

Four teams locked in battle for promotion to top flight

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2023

Mike Rafferty

Pablo Martinez De Eulate of West United moves in to challenge Kevin Stankard of Colga FC in South Park last weekend. The game was abandoned just before half-time due to a head injury to a West player. Photos: Joe O'Shaughnessy.

Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

Four teams are vying for promotion to the Premier Division, and with University of Galway, Loughrea, Dynamo Blues, and Colemanstown United all having played each another twice, there is no room for error as they play out the last few games of the campaign.

Loughrea are in pole position, but the chasing pack all have games in hand as they try and reel in the table toppers. All four were winners over the weekend, with three of the games decided by just a single goal.

Elsewhere, the draw for the last eight of the Connacht Junior Cup took place as four Galway League teams remain in the competition. Athenry will be pleased to have drawn a Cois Fharraige side who caused a huge upset when defeating West United in the last round, but it would be an even bigger shock if the Division One outfit were to prevail on this occasion.

Two Galway sides head to Mayo for their ties and Mervue United will fancy their chances against a Westport United B side who defeated Colga B 4-2 at the weekend. It will not be as comfortable for University of Galway who will meet Castlebar Celtic; while Cloonfad and Strand Celtic meet in the remaining tie. The games are scheduled to be played on April 9.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Knocknacarra 0

University of Galway 1

Just a month ago these two sides played out a scoreless draw in Dangan and in the reverse fixture at Cappagh park on Sunday, little separated the sides once more, before a Stephen Gilmore goal on the hour mark settled a contest played in dreadful conditions.

With every point crucial to the Students in their quest to remain in the promotion shake up, they were mainly the better side, but also had to endure some anxious moments as the home side always offered the potential of a breakthrough.

However, their opportunities were more limited than the College side, with just a Marc Lucero effort that struck the woodwork the closest they went to a breakthrough.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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CITY TRIBUNE

Dolan delivers a big display as Galway defeat the Dubs

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2023

Our Reporter

Player-of-the-match Carrie Dolan on her way to scoring Galway's goal in Saturday’s National League win over Dublin at Duggan Park. Photo: Michael Gough.

Galway 1-14

Dublin 0-9

Eanna O’Reilly at Duggan Park

THE Galway senior camogie team recorded their third victory of the National League campaign, with a straightforward success over a limited Dublin side on Saturday in Ballinasloe. This expected win puts Galway in with a chance of qualifying for the league final. To do so, the Tribeswomen must overcome Cork on Saturday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Galway lined out against Dublin without injured duo Siobhán Gardiner and Niamh Hanniffy, while Niamh Niland (Clarinbridge) and Laura Kelly (Salthill-Knocknacara) made their first starts for the senior team. The Tribeswomen made good use of the wind in the opening quarter and raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead.

Carrie Dolan pointed an early free, followed by a ’45 to get the scoreboard ticking. Laura Kelly then sent over an impressive score from the left wing. Two minutes later, Dublin had a goal chance, but Aishling O’Neill was superbly hooked by Shauna Healy. Galway quickly worked the ball forward to Ailish O’Reilly, who added a neat point.

Carnmore midfielder Jennifer Hughes soon fired over another score for the home side, after a strong run. Dublin were already chasing a five point lead but opened their account in the tenth minute with a point from Gaby Couch.

Two minutes later, Aisling Maher sent over Dublin’s second score, before Dolan replied with an excellent point at the other end, after a good pass from Hughes. Maher pointed a free to make it 0-6 to 0-3, but the home side soon struck for 1-2.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

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CITY TRIBUNE

Injury misery for Connacht as the Scots roll into town

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2023

Keith Kelly

Flanker Paul Boyle who has signed a contract extension with Connacht ahead of Saturday's home URC clash with Edinburgh.

THE frankly bizarre nature of the URC schedule came into focus again this week as the league is set to resume after a two-week break for the Six Nations championship with Connacht welcoming Edinburgh to the Sportsground on Saturday (3pm).

The league might be entering the business end of the campaign, but the last few weeks has felt like more like pre-season preparation than a final push for glory, with Saturday’s game set to be only the third game in eight weeks for Connacht.

“After the Christmas period, it is kind of stop-start. Yeah, you probably do get a bit bored with training, you are looking forward to playing a game, and now we have back-to-back games which lets you get a bit of momentum,” Connacht centre, Tom Farrell, said in the media briefing this week ahead of this Saturday’s tie.

Connacht go into the game on the back of three consecutive wins – 22-20 away to Dragons, 57-34 away to Zebre, and 43-24 at home to the Lions – but it is hard to take any momentum from those games considering they were three, five, and eight weeks ago respectively.

Any momentum they might have had from that winning run will have been hit with the injury list issued this week that is nearly as long as the list of those players who are available. Grand Slam heroes Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen have yet to return to the province, while Finlay Bealham is out for at least a month with a knee injury.

He’ll have plenty of company in the treatment room as Denis Buckley (ankle) and Jack Carty (hamstring) have both been ruled out for this weekend; Josh Murphy (head) is following concussion GRTP protocols and is unavailable for selection this week; and Conor Fitzgerald has had surgery on his ankle and is out for the remainder of the season.

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.