Sports
Promoted Galway ladies take on Laois in Division 1 National League opener
GALWAY senior ladies footballers make their keenly anticipated return to Division 1 when they host Laois in their National League opener at Tuam Stadium on Sunday (2pm).
Having spent three years toiling in Division 2, Galway will want to build on the significant progress they have been making in recent seasons, including reaching All-Ireland senior semi-finals in 2012, ’13 and ‘14 along with securing back-to-back All-Ireland minor titles over the past two seasons.
Galway boss Kevin Reidy acknowledges that for his charges to be back competing in Division 1 is another step in the right direction. “It is where you want to be. You are up against all the better teams, like the Dublins, the Corks, the Monaghans and the Kerrys. So, it is the place to be,” he says.
However, Reidy says that the expectations surrounding the team following the All-Ireland minor wins in 2013 and 2014 must be kept on an even keel, noting that it will take time for those youngsters to develop into senior players.
Indeed, he highlights a number of these players are currently unavailable to him this year as they focus on their Leaving Cert. Other girls are tied up in college while another has already committed to travelling abroad this Summer.
However, from that minor team he can call on the talented Ward sisters – Nicola and Louise – along with their Kilkerrin/Clonberne club-mate Olivia Divilly. Sarah Gormally, who was on the Galway minor team of two years ago, also joins the set up after completing her Leaving Cert. studies last year.
At any rate, Galway will be anxious to get their league campaign off to a solid start, particularly as their first three games are home fixtures against Laois, Dublin and Tyrone. Taking points from those will be crucial to the Tribeswomen consolidating their Division 1 status.
“Yeah, I suppose it is [vital to take points from those games] but we are not looking beyond Laois. Sunday is a massive game for us because it is our first game back in Division 1 in a few years. When we have that game played, we will look towards Dublin.”
While four of Galway’s seven league fixtures are home ties – they also play Kerry in Tuam Stadium on March 15 – by the same token, arguably their three toughest assignments are away games, namely All-Ireland champions Cork under lights on Friday, February 27, Monaghan on March 29 and old rivals Mayo on April 12.
“It is great that four out of the seven games are at home and they are all in Tuam Stadium which is good as well,” notes Reidy. “However, again, we are not looking past Laois. That was our goal when we kicked off. The most important thing is that we hold our position in Division 1 and if we can do that then we can look to push maybe for a semi-final place.”
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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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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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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.
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