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.

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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.