Shamrock Rovers 1

Galway United 1

IT says it all when you are coming away from the Tallaght Stadium disappointed at only taking a point from a meeting with Shamrock Rovers, but that was the mood in the Galway United camp on Friday night.

What’s even more galling is the fact that United were just six minutes from a first win in Dublin over the Hoops in more than 30 years, only for the injury-ravaged home side to snatch a late equaliser.

That is probably the sense of biggest regret: yes, any point won at what is by far the finest ground in the league is hard won and to be cherished, and United went into this game on the back of a run of 21 consecutive defeats to the league’s most successful club, but what a chance they had to end that appalling run with a win.

As the locals were reeling off the names of those missing on the night, we got bored and started to zone out a little, but in fairness, it was some list of absentees: Dan Cleary and Richie Towell, Lee Grace and Gary O’Neill, Graham Burke and Markus Poom, someone else and, er, another fella, as well. You get the picture.

Mind you, they were still able to name a starting XI featuring seven players who were all part of the squad that won the last four league titles, and another who was part of three of those squads, so maybe go easy on the aul ‘béal bocht’ there lads.

Their bench felt the absentees the most – seven of their nine subs were teenagers – but it was to the bench they turned for the player who ultimately rescued a point for them at the death.

Those of us of a certain vintage will remember a fella called Johnny Kenny from Sligo wearing the Galway United jersey in the First Division title-winning season of 1992/93. He was all flowing mullet and manicured moustache as he raced up and down the wing, scoring six goals in 30 appearances in that one season at the club.

He became a firm fan favourite and is always welcome back at United, but his young fella is doing his damnedest to tarnish the love for his father after breaking the Tribesmen’s hearts for a second time this season.

Pictured: Galway United substitute Stephen Walsh whose goal was enough to earn a share of the spoils against champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.

Dragons 27

Connacht 34

By JOHN FALLON

CONNACHT, having done all that was required of them in getting the maximum ten points off their two clashes against the basement sides Zebre and Dragons, are in control of their own destiny heading into the final three games of this season’s United Rugby Championship.

Trips away to Munster and Leinster, with a real ten-pointer in between at home against last year’s finalists and the 2022 champions the Stormers, represent a fairly formidable test, but any slippage over the last two weekends would have been fatal.

They were tested against the Dragons and while there were plenty of flaws and anxious moments, they were never behind in this contest at Rodney Parade, and yet never made the victory safe, even when Dragons had a man sent off 11 minutes from time.

The win has come at a price as well with Denis Buckley, Cian Prendergast and JJ Hanrahan all going off injured. Out-half Hanrahan was stretchered off and with Jack Carty making his way back from a hamstring injury, that’s the position that will be of most concern ahead of the trip to Thomond Park on Saturday week.

And while the home loss to the Lions and getting caught at the death in Treviso the following week have made life difficult, Connacht will go there on the back of five wins in their last seven league games and, regardless of how tight it is in the middle of the table in the battle for the eight qualification spots for the quarter-finals and next season’s Champions Cup, Wilkins men now control their own fate.

“We are moving in the right direction in terms of the table,” he said. “It will keep changing no doubt, but as long as we are winning, that is the most important thing.

“It was not long ago we were sitting in tenth, so to be going into these last three games where we are up to sixth now, that is the important bit.”

Connacht enjoyed 71% possession in the opening half in Newport but had to be content with a 19-14 interval advantage after the Dragons struck for their second try deep into stoppage time to stay in the contest despite a tackle count of 110 from the Dragons to 21 for the visitors.

Wilkins knew the value of laying down an early marker at Rodney Parade and Shamus Hurley-Langton duly obliged when he got over in just two minutes after sustained early pressure.

Pictured: The fit-again John Porch who was of Connacht’s try scorers in their bonus point URC win over the Dragons.

GAA meets modern dance in a dance show that’s being staged this weekend as part of Galway Theatre Festival.

Ham Sandwiches and Discipline was created by Dubliner Nóra Ní Anluan Fay, who will perform it alongside fellow dancer Ben Sullivan.

Nóra grew up in a family that was steeped in GAA – they’re involved in Cuala GAA Club where her brother plays his hurling.

She studied Dance and Choreography in the Netherlands Fontys University and started her own company, NAF Dance during her final year, before graduating in 2023.

Her first choreographic work, Let Them Eat Cake, was chosen to represent the Netherlands in the 2022 Szoloduo Festival  in Budapest.

While she was in college, Nóra was back at home in DubLin one night, watching The Sunday Game with her family, and she became mesmerised by Pat Spillane’s gestures. His hand movements and the passion with which he spoke gave her the inspiration for this contemporary dance duet about Irishness – the world of the GAA and traditional Irish sports, with all its raw theatricality and comedy too, she observes.

Ham Sandwiches and Discipline features 30 jerseys drying on the line, muddy stud boots, vexed commentators, sideline screaming and ritualistic trips to matches as it explores what it means to be Irish in an ever-changing world.

It culminates in “a hive of Irishness injected with camp and comedy” says Nóra of the piece for which they’ve created their own clubs with crests, as well as wild and wacky costumes for the umpires and referees.

Nóra began developing the show in the Uillinn Arts Centre, West Cork, in July 2023, when she was dance-artist in residence there for two weeks.

“I collaborated with the local GAA club, O’Donovan Rossa, the Junior Ladies’ team in particular, to push the work forward,” she explains.

She had known Ben O’Sullivan since they first worked with CoisCéim Dance Company as teenagers and they’ve have had similar artistic journeys, while Ben’s family are also involved in the GAA, so they had lots of shared experiences.

Following that initial process, they showed the work-in-progress during Skibbereen Arts Festival.

Nóra developed it further in August of 2023 when she had a fortnight’s residency with Galway Dance Project, and she had a final week in Dublin in November with Dance Ireland.

She and Ben premiered in Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre in February at the Scene and Heard Festival, and the pair have just returned from performing it at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris.

“I’m delighted to be bringing it back to Galway as our time there was so important in making the piece what it could be,” says Nóra. “It’s also the first time we’re performing it as a 50-minute piece which makes it all the more special.”

Ham Sandwiches and Discipline takes place this Sunday and Monday, May 5 and 6, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc. Booking at tht.ie.

For more information on Galway Theatre Festival, go to galwaytheatrefestival.com.

Pictured: Nóra Ní Anluain Fay and Ben Sullivan in Ham Sandwiches and Discipline.

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for a 170-home development planned for the Castlegar area.

Lock House Developments Ltd had sought permission to develop the 11.5-acre site north of Bóthar an Chóiste to include 84 houses and 86 apartments.

It’s understood the development – which went directly to An Bord Pleanála as a Strategic Housing Development, bypassing the usual route of applying to Galway City Council – was intended to be acquired by Co-operative Housing Ireland for use as social housing.

But An Bord Pleanála has refused to give planning permission, criticising the design and layout of the development, including a central shared space “that would be dominated by an array of hard surfaces with limited soft landscaping and excessively-wide home zones”.

In its ruling, it said: “The proposed development would not be conducive to creating a people-friendly environment, would not feature sufficient quality, functional, recreational and amenity space and facilities to conveniently serve the public and communal space needs of future residents of the development.”

Permission was sought for 84 two-storey houses (34 two-bed; 42 three-bed and 8 four-bed); 48 duplex units (11 one-bed; 24 two-bed and 13 three-bed); a block of 17 apartments (10 one-bed and 7 two-bed); a block of 21 apartments (12 one-bed and 9 two-bed).

The plans also envisaged a two-storey crèche with 46 child spaces, parking spaces, and a central area with formal and informal play areas, some of which will overlook the adjacent designated greenway route.

It would require the demolition of an existing house and ruins of another house and outbuilding.

Submissions had been made to the planning appeals board on the issue by the Castlegar Residents’ Association  and the Galway Cycling Campaign, pointing to concerns over road safety on a rural road and exacerbation of an existing ‘rat-run’ problem, among other objections.

Pictured: A computer-generated image of how the Castlegar development would look from Bóthar an Chóiste.

Mayo 2-13

Galway 1-6

Ivan Smyth at Tuam Stadium

GALWAY’S minor footballers’ hopes of progressing through to the Connacht semi-finals suffered a huge blow as they were outgunned by a slick Mayo outfit at Tuam Stadium on Friday.

Neil McHugh’s side will need to defeat Leitrim in their final group game and hope Sligo lose to both Roscommon and Mayo. Even then it may not be enough. This year’s format is different with a Tier 2 and 3 Championship for sides that don’t reach the Connacht final, but for Galway’s young guns to develop, they would have hoped to progress and play against the top teams in this age grade.

This is a fancied Mayo team with the boys in green and red trying to secure their third provincial title in a row. Based on the evidence thus far, Mayo appear a cut above the rest in the province and genuine All Ireland contenders. Kobe McDonald, son of former Mayo footballer Ciarán, who is part of the backroom ticket, kicked three points while he provided a distinct aerial threat as Mayo destroyed the home side in the middle third.

Although not at his accurate best, McDonald still looks a fine prospect while Evan Walsh was the star of the show as he kicked five points for the winners. Harry McHale and Tom Hession also starred for a sharp Mayo side. All six Mayo forwards scored as Galway once more produced an error prone opening-half display.

The Tribesmen trailed 1-8 to 0-2 at the break but a Charlie Killeen goal 30 seconds into the final half did give brief hope of an unlikely comeback. A McDonald point noticeably settled Mayo before a 37th minute Oisín Deane major effectively ended any faint hopes of a Galway result. The Galway management tried to shuffle the deck as they used five substitutes by the 43rd minute, but Mayo were simply superior in every facet of the game.

David Heaney and Tom Reilly’s side were firm favourites before this affair with the Galway support hoping the sight of the green and red and the need for the home outfit to secure a result could see the underdogs rise to the occasion. However, Mayo simply refused to entertain notions of a shock. They smothered Galway from the outset with an aggressive press with their physical advantages coming to the fore as the Galway players struggled to break the tackle.

Despite a Charlie Killeen point helping Galway arrest a worrying start with Mayo racing 0-4 to 0-1 in front, the winners struck a huge blow in the ninth minute. Kobe McDonald helped Mayo win turnover ball as he provided a clever low pass to Conor Moriarty who teed up Harry McHale to bury a three pointer.

Pictured: Galway’s Donnacha Naughton eyes up his options against Mayo’s David Hurley during Friday’s Connacht Minor Football Championship round-robin tie at Tuam Stadium. Photos: Joe O’Shaughnessy.