Sports
Galway FC’s late rally not enough to cause big upset
Dundalk FC 2
Galway FC 1
GALWAY FC bowed out of the FAI Ford Cup in Oriel Park on Friday night, but not before giving treble-chasing Dundalk the mother and father of all scares after a Padraic Cunningham goal nine minutes from time set up a grandstand finish.
It spoke volumes about the effort of Tommy Dunne’s men that they were applauded off the pitch at full-time by a hugely relieved home support, who came expecting a comfortable victory, but went home very relieved that their team got the job done on the night.
They left the stands grumbling about how their side had made hard work of the win, but the truth is they were made work hard by the visitors who did themselves proud at a ground where the likes of Drogheda United and Cork City have been humbled 7-0 and 4-0 respectively.
A similar scoreline was expected on Friday night, with the hosts unbackable favourites to advance, and while they did completely dominate in terms of possession, territory and chances created, they couldn’t shrug off the Galway challenge and in the end won by the slenderest of margins.
Dundalk named a mid-strength side, with just five of the team who started in the 1-1 draw with Sligo Rovers in the Showgrounds on Monday night retained for Friday’s game. Mind you, a mid-strength side was enough to hammer Wexford Youths 5-0 in the EA Sports Cup semi-final earlier in the season.
There was a Galway flavour to the home side, with former Mervue United player John Mountney starting up front for the Lilywhites; while Salthill man Daryl Horgan took up his usual left-wing position, meaning he was directly up against younger brother Colm.
The home side forced nine corners in the first-half and had 13 efforts on goal. Galway FC won a solitary free-kick and a couple of headers, but also the grudging admiration of the home fans, who expected this First Division side to crumble and not mount they impressive resistance they did.
Tommy Dunne had his side set up with two banks of four lying deep, so while the home outfit dominated possession, it was for the most part in front of Ger Hanley’s 18-yard line, with a lot of those 13 goal-bound efforts being of the speculative variety.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Catherine Connolly slams Government over “cherry picking” facts on housing crisis
University of Galway to launch online service to battle cancer misinformation
Water leak in Salthill led to “colossal” daily loss of 850 thousand litres
Seanad hears up to 900 on waiting lists across five Galway city schools
100 PhD researchers protest at University of Galway over pay and conditions
City seeks to annex Oranmore, Claregalway, Moycullen and Barna in boundary extension
Tech consultants open Galway hub
Man awarded €142,000 over unprovoked attack in toilet of County Galway pub
Woman convicted of harassing social media guru
New offering from Mercedes-Benz targets the wealthiest of customers
