Connacht Tribune
‘Keeper Breathnach goes into local folklore with stunning score to force extra time
An Spidéal 1-13
Micheál Breathnach 1-11
(After extra time)
MAGHNUS Breathnach saved the day for An Spidéal, who return to senior for the first time in 18 years after beating neighbours CLG Micheál Breathnach in the County Intermediate Football Final replay at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.
The Galway goalkeeper stopped a penalty in the eighth minute of the first-half and scored two vital points – including a long-range free with the last kick of normal time, which he earned and subsequently converted, to draw the game and force extra-time.
An Spidéal, who played the entire second half with just 14 men after Ciaráin Ó Droighneáin was dismissed for a high challenge on Seán Denvir in time-added-on in the first-half, were much livelier when restored to a full complement of players in the two 10-minute periods of extra-time, when they outscored their opponents by three points to one.
Fittingly, the only one of those four scores that came from play was from the boot of official man-of-the-match, An Spidéal midfielder Dara Mac An Rí, who worked his socks off throughout the 80-plus minutes and bagged a crucial first-half goal.
Full-forward Cormac Ó Laoi was another player who stepped up to the plate and delivered for An Spidéal on the big occasion. A constant threat on the edge of the square, he scored two invaluable points in each half of normal time, and kept the Micheál Breathnach’s defence honest.
An Spidéal deservedly carried the day and advance to meet Mayo champions Belmullet in the Connacht semi-final but their rivals from Indreabhán, who contributed immensely to such enjoyable tussles over two days, will have nightmares about the scoring opportunities they spurned.
Rónán MacDonnchadha scored an absolute screamer of a goal in the 23rd minute of the first-half, which made-up for his earlier spot-kick miss – ‘keeper Breathnach will get the kudos for stopping it but the attacker will concede his shot lacked both power and precision.
Even aside from the penalty miss, Micheál Breathnach had ample opportunity to kill the game off and their inaccuracy came back to haunt them.
Frank Doherty’s well-drilled charges were wasteful, kicking 11 wides in total, including five in the second-half when they had numerical advantage and could have put the squeeze on their rivals. Three of those wides were recorded in extra-time, and they also had a few shots dropping short into the goalkeeper’s hands. In a game of such tight margins, those missed chances really hurt.
An Spidéal were guilty of profligacy, too, in particular in the first half when their rate of conversion of chances to scores dipped below 50% – as well as four wides, they also dropped short three efforts, which if even half of them were converted would have put them in a commanding position.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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World of Politics with Harry McGee
An Opposition party is a bit like an invading army trying to surmount the defences of a seemingly impregnable fortress – constantly surveying the moat, the drawbridge, the doors and the battlements to spot any weakness.
For a Government party, the chink usually reveals itself when it tries to push through a deeply unpopular policy – like, for example, the decision to bring the eviction ban to a close at the end of March.
The Government’s thinking was that, by delaying the end of it, it was storing up problems for itself. The longer it left the measure in place, the bigger the queue of landlords who wished to sell up when the restrictions were lifted, triggering a huge number of evictions.
As it was, even ending the restriction now, according to campaigners such as Peter McVerry, was going to cause a “tsunami” of evictions.
Senior Coalition figures admitted that it was going to have an impact on homelessness in the short term.
As soon as the Government announced it was lifting the ban, there was a hue and cry from the Opposition.
Several back benchers in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael expressed concern but were brought around by assurances from senior Ministers that local authorities and approved housing bodies would be given the go-ahead to buy properties from landlords who were selling up and leaving tenants in situ.
However, if there are any upsides to the move, they will not become apparent for months at the very least, by which time there could be a big spike in the homelessness figures.
From the moment the decision was made, the Green Party TD for Dublin Central Neasa Hourigan signalled she opposed the move.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Plans to develop a marine park in Conamara were dealt a major blow this week after An Bórd Pleanála refused to grant planning permission for the development.
Galway County Council had already rejected proposals by Údarás na Gaeltachta to develop Páirc na Mara on lands east of Cill Chiaráin village.
The regional authority responsible for economic, social and cultural development of the Gaeltacht, appealed the decision to the planning appeals board but it too has refused to grant permission.
This latest decision blows a big hole in Údarás na Gaeltachta’s job creation plans for Conamara – its five-year employment strategy launched last year hinged on jobs growth from Páirc na Mara.
Reacting, in a statement to the Connacht Tribune, Údarás na Gaeltachta said it was awaiting ABP’s Inspector’s Report.
“This will help to inform how we proceed in the coming weeks. We remain committed to the Páirc na Mara project and to sustainable development and job creation in the Iorras Aithneach Gaeltacht area,” it added.
In a letter from ABP member, Chris McGarry, the Board gave two reasons for refusing the plan.
They related to the lack of information about the potential impacts of climate change; and the potential impact on water levels and the water supply in nearby water sources.
The proposal involved phase one of the continued development of a marine innovation park on a brownfield site of nine hectares, to include a number of marine-based industrial facilities and educational and applied research sites at Cill Chiaráin.
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 4-27
Westmeath 1-12
Ivan Smyth at Cusack Park
GALWAY hurlers fired in 2-8 without reply in the final 15 minutes of this National League tie as they secured a flattering 24-point victory over a gutsy but outclassed Westmeath outfit.
On Sunday, Conor Cooney looked sharp as he fired over five points from play for the second game running. Daithí Burke was solid once more at centre back and even though Westmeath moved Davy Glennon on him in the second half with the aim of dragging the Turloughmore man away from goal, Burke went about his business in a typically quiet and efficient manner.
With brothers Davy and Ronan Glennon facing off on opposite sides, this was a unique occasion for the pair. Davy did fire over a point but was starved of quality ball. From a Galway perspective, Padraic Mannion and TJ Brennan were the next best in defence as the pair both grabbed a point apiece. Evan Niland was reliable from the dead ball and when he moved out from the full forward line, he was more effective in linking the play.
Galway clearly possessed the superior stickmen and never trailed but after a promising start they faded out of the game, going 11 minutes without a score. They finished the first-half strong to see their lead increase from three points after 27 minutes to nine at the break. The third quarter was sloppy from a Galway perspective as they were outscored by six points to four in the first 20 minutes of the final period before the reinforcements arrived against a tiring Westmeath.
Galway then rattled in 3-9 and conceded just a solitary point thereafter with Declan McLoughlin and Jason Flynn grabbing goals before wing back Tiernan Killeen added another late on. After a poor start in Ennis seven days prior, Galway raced out of the blocks notching five points in as many minutes.
Cianan Fahy opened the scoring after eight seconds while Brian Concannon, Liam Collins, Niland (’65) and Conor Cooney gave Galway the ideal start. Cooney could have had a goal before arrowing over but Tommy Doyle produced a brave block, one which saw him retire injured moments later.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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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.
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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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