Sports
Walker Loughnane to be crowned World Champion – five years later
FOUR-time Olympian, Galway’s Olive Loughnane looks set to become a World champion following the revelation this week that the Russian she finished second to in the women’s 20km walk at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin has been disqualified for doping.
A thrilled Loughnane has welcomed the news and expressed her delight that drug cheats like Russian Olga Kaniskina were now being “hunted down” in the sport. It has been revealed that of the 17 gold medals won by Russian walkers at the Olympics and Worlds in the last decade, 16 were captured by athletes banned for doping at some stage of their careers.
“It’s ridiculous,” exclaims the mother-of-two of that startling statistic. “Sure, it never made sense. You had this small little area and you had so many winning medals coming out of there. You could be really critical but the rest of us were not stupid either. It wasn’t that we were doing things wrong.
“Look, we always kind of knew. I was disillusioned after London because I felt it was getting away from the WADA, the World Anti Doping Agency. I was obviously privileged to have a medal but I didn’t think anyone else would get that chance because the Russians were dominating so much. It had come to the point where you couldn’t compete with them.”
However, she believes by outing the drug cheats, it will make it possible for clean athletes now to compete for medals and she hopes the news would be a source of encouragement to those honourable competitors working and training hard to reach the summit.
“In fairness, when I was competing, I always went with the attitude that, look, I have no control over what they do. I can only control what I can do. So, I always fought for every single place and it didn’t matter if it was 17th instead of 18th. That is what I did. That kind of stood to me because if I hadn’t fought so hard I might not be going from silver to gold.
“So, yeah, it is a positive development and for me, personally, obviously it is great. I was in the best case scenario going from silver to gold. I am not sure though I would be as charitable towards them if I was going from fourth to third and if I hadn’t stood on the podium.”
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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WEXFORD CBS 3
HOLY ROSARY 2
Daire Walsh in Clonshaugh
THERE was heartbreak for Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew at the AUL Complex in Clonshaugh last Wednesday as Micheal O’Donnell’s side fell to a last-gasp defeat against Wexford CBS in the FAI Schools Dr Tony O’Neill National Cup decider.
Despite being 2-0 adrift with just 25 minutes gone on the clock, Holy Rosary subsequently forced themselves back into the reckoning either side of the half-time break. The momentum appeared to be with the Connacht outfit when Ryan Nolan superbly grabbed an equaliser moments after Wexford netminder Shay O’Leary had been red carded, but their Slaneyside counterparts dug deep with 10 men.
Introduced with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Rory Gilbert fired home a stoppage-time goal that ultimately secured the title for the Leinster champions.
This was a cruel way for Holy Rosary – who, like their opponents, were seeking a maiden title in this competition – to lose out, but it remains a memorable year for the school. Their spirit and never-say-attitude was on full display throughout and it was a game that could easily have swung in their favour.
Originally set to take place at Home Farm FC in Whitehall on Dublin’s northside, the pitch was eventually deemed unplayable a short while before the expected kick-off time of 1pm. Following a frantic scramble to find an alternative venue – rather than delaying the final for a future date – it was decided to switch the game to AUL for 3pm on the same day.
The start time was subsequently brought forward to 2.45pm and while the lack of cover meant supporters from both schools were caught up in the rain, the pitch’s all-weather surface ensured the final could go ahead.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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St Kieran’s College 3-13
Pres College, Athenry 0-12
Paul Keane at Croke Park
THEY can console themselves at Presentation College, Athenry with the fact that they tried just about everything within their power to bring the Croke Cup back west.
From sweeper systems to big men on the edge of the square, from squeezing every last ounce of potential out of transition year students to careful man-marking manoeuvres, it wasn’t for a lack of effort or ingenuity that Cathal Moore’s team came up short on St Patrick’s Day.
In the end, it was two pieces of genius from a terrific St Kieran’s team that cost them. Firstly, there was Anthony Ireland Wall’s quite stunning 24th minute solo goal into the Hill 16 End, a score that put significant daylight between the teams for the first time.
Then, eight minutes into the second-half, there was Donagh Murphy’s sumptuous goal for the Kilkenny side, the midfielder craftily playing the ball into the loose space ahead of him to avoid being hooked or penalised for overcarrying, before doubling on the ball to the net.
Those two strikes separated the two teams for the most part and it was only deep into stoppage time, when Athenry were chasing the game and were committed to all out attack, that they conceded the third goal which gave the scoreline a slightly crooked appearance.
“We came up and delivered a performance and for long stages of the match we put it up to Kieran’s but look, we just weren’t strong enough in the end and we just fell away,” conceded Moore.
As he spoke, the cheers and Oles rang out from the nearby St Kieran’s dressing-room. It will be a difficult loss to take but, as Moore also said, it is up to those younger players now to draw on all that experience and to go again.
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.
Public meeting to unveil plans for new school for The Bish
Polish Ambassador to visit Galway this weekend
Call for major investment in healthcare to alleviate doctor shortage in Headford
Upgrade works on Shop Street and High Street to begin next week
Galway Autism Partnership one of 7 organisations to receive national carer funding
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
Volkswagen Vans Galway at Western Motors announced as Mobility Partner for Galway GAA
Woman convicted of harassing social media guru
