Galway seek Connacht fixture deferral to facilitate Hanley rules trip
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By JOHN FALLON
GALWAY GAA officials have asked the Connacht Council to postpone the provincial club semi-finals for a couple of weeks to allow Finian Hanley to travel with the Irish squad to Australia.
Hanley, who was vice-captain last year, is due to skipper Salthill/Knocknacarra in their Galway SFC semi-final replay on Sunday afternoon against Tuam Stars.
Hanley will travel to Australia on Monday if Salthill lose but if they win, the Galway SFC final is scheduled for the following Sunday as the Connacht club semi-final is fixed for the following week, November 6th.
The Galway championship is running late because of a row over a player’s eligibility which dragged on all summer, as well as an unusually high number of draws in games.
Galway football board secretary Seamus O’Grady said they are hopeful that the Connacht Council can push back the provincial semi-finals by a couple of weeks
“We have made a request that the Connacht semi-finals be moved by a couple of weeks to facilitate the delay in our competition because of all the draws we have had,” said O’Grady.
“If Salthill/Knocknacarra were to win on Sunday then Finian would have a real hard decision to make. Hopefully our request will be granted. I see Ulster and Leinster have given some grace so hopefully Connacht can now grant our request.”
The Galway champions are due to meet the winners of the Mayo final on November 6th, which will be contested by Ballintubber and Castlebar Mitchels next Sunday.
Tourlestrane of Sligo and Roscommon kingpins St Brigids meet in the other semi-final on the same day.
The Connacht decider is scheduled for Sunday November 20th, with the winners playing newly crowned London champions Fulham Gaels in an All-Ireland quarter final on December 4th.
Meanwhile Wicklow star Leighton Glynn, who has been selected to play for Ireland in his third international rules series, will not travel out to Australia until Monday.
He will be remaining at home for the weekend to help his local hurling and football clubs in vital championship games.
Rathnew, the reigning county senior football champions are involved in a crucial semi-final replay against their parish neighbours St. Patrick’s on Saturday, while Glenealy’s hurlers have a home game in the Leinster club championship against Kildare champions Celbridge on Sunday.
Feehily confident of securing new Sligo sponsor
By JOHN FALLON
The chairman of the Sligo Football Board is very confident that the county will attract a new sponsor after Clifford Electrical ended its 20-year association with the Yeats County.
The electrical company had formed one of the longest sponsorship deals in the GAA with Sligo, but according to Feehily there has been a huge interest in sponsoring Kevin Walsh’s side.
“So far there has been huge enthusiasm from a number of possible sponsors about getting involved with Sligo GAA,” said Feehily.
“We have been well aware that this was coming, it didn’t catch us by surprise. Discussions have been ongoing with potential new sponsors for a few months now and I am very confident that we will have someone in place in the near future.
“However when there is more than one part involved in discussions it can take a little while for every element to come together,” he said.
As part of the new deal it is expected that a package for underage teams, development squads, Under-21s, football and hurling will be on offer to potential sponsors.
And Feehily paid tribute to the Clifford family for helping Sligo GAA through some of its most difficult years.
“Clifford Electrical was a great supporter of Sligo GAA and in fairness to them after 20 years of being on the jersey the time had come for a change. They might not have gotten the most from the advertising at this stage. But there will be an opportunity there for them in the future.
“But these are exciting times ahead for Sligo GAA. It is a new beginning with a new sponsor and it has been great to see such an interest in the deal.”
Shine hopeful of Fergie return
By DECLAN ROONEY
Roscommon forward Donie Shine is keeping his fingers crossed that former manager Fergal O’Donnell can return as boss of the county at some time in the future.
O’Donnell stepped down as manager of the 2010 Connacht champions after three years in charge and Shine paid tribute to “a brilliant manager”.
“I played nearly all my minor and senior inter-county football under Fergie and all I can say is that he was a fantastic manager. Every year we had decent success and I would put all that down to Fergie and his style of management.
“It is very disappointing that he is going, but we all have to wish him well in the future. He had indicated to us that he was sure about his future as manager, that he wasn’t 100 percent decided on staying on.”
O’Donnell, who works as a garda, is understood to have ended his three-year stint to spend more time with his young family. But Shine claims he always thought the popular boss would give it one more go after sealing promotion out of division four.
“But deep down I thought he would give it another year and stay on, but you have to respect his decision. The amount of work he put into the county team was huge, no stone was left unturned and any success we had was because of him.
“Hopefully he may return to the job at some stage in the future, down the line. He was a brilliant manager for Roscommon.”
Horan hoping for new Treaty deal
By DECLAN ROONEY
Limerick football manager Maurice Horan is hoping to get the nod to continue as Treaty boss for a second year.
The Mayo native was handed a two-year term by the Limerick county board last year, but both sides agreed to a review after the first season.
And with Limerick making their first appearance in Croke Park on the back of three championship victories, Horan is hopeful of getting the thumbs up from the board.
“As a management team we are looking to be involved with Limerick again next year,” said Horan.
“I intend to put my name forward for ratification again and will be reporting to the football board on the year gone by. Ideally we want continuity for the county but we all agreed that a review after one year was the best way forward.”
Wins over Offaly, Waterford and a controversial victory against Wexford saw Limerick reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time, but defeats to Kerry in the Munster championship and in Croke Park was disappointing claimed Horan.
“Over all we had a lot of pleasing aspects to the year despite our relegation from division three. After putting three wins together in the championship we were probably a bit unlucky to draw Kerry, but I think we made significant progress over all.”
Galway outclassed by Tipp
Tipperary 4-23
Galway 1-14
By DECLAN ROONEY
Galway’s fight for a place in the division one hurling final will go to the wire after a second-half hat-trick from Shane Bourke demolished John McIntyre’s outfit in Pearse Stadium on Sunday.
Galway trailed by two points at the break despite playing with a gale force wind at their backs and Tipperary took full advantage after the restart, outscoring their opponents by 3-13 to 0-6.
But Bourke’s was not the only show in town as Lar Corbett hit four terrific points from play, a tally matched by Patrick Maher and Pa Bourke as the Tipperary forwards filled their boots.
Galway were rocked by the intensity and invention in the Tipperary play and never look capable of matching the Liam MacCarthy holders.
But the home side had gotten off to a great start with Clarinbridge hero Eoin Forde scrambling a goal after just 10 minutes to give his side a two point lead.
But that was as good as it got for the Tribesmen as five points on the bounce from Tipp – including a splendid Corbett effort – and John O’Brien’s goal gave them a 1-10 to 1-8 advantage at the break.
Bourke had nabbed two points by half-time, but he wasn’t long adding to that tally.
His first goal capped off the slickest of moves with Corbett and O’Brien involved in the 39th minute and two more in the 22nd and 29th minute of the half ended the game as a contest.
Scorers:
Tipperary: S Bourke (3-4); L Corbett (0-4); P Maher (0-4); P Bourke (0-4, 2fs); J O’Brien (1-1); S Carey (0-2, 1f); B Dunne (0-1); G Ryan (0-1); S McGrath (0-1); B O’Meara (0-1).
Galway: E Forde (1-2); G Farragher (0-5, 4fs); A Smith (0-2); I Tannian (0-1); D Burke (0-1f); A Cullinane (0-1); J Coen (0-1); A Harte (0-1).
Tipperary: D Gleeson; J Coughlan, P Curran, M Cahill; D Young, P Maher, J O’Keeffe; G Ryan, S McGrath; B Dunne, P Maher, P Bourke; S Bourke, J O’Brien, L Corbett.
Subs: B O’Meara for O’Brien, 47; S Carey for Dunne, 54; J Woodlock for O’Keeffe, 62; M Gleeson for Ryan, 63; J O’Neill for Corbett, 67.
Galway: C Callanan; D Joyce, C O’Donovan, G O’Halloran; D Barry, T Óg Regan, A Cullinane; D Burke, G Farragher; J Cooney, A Smith, C Donnellan; E Forde, I Tannian, E Ryan.
Subs: N Donoghue for O’Halloran, 31; A Harte for Cooney, 38; J Lee for Joyce, 44; J Coen for Farragher, 46; D Hayes for Regan, 61.
Ó Flatharta’s position not on the agenda
By DECLAN ROONEY
The Galway Football Board have “no immediate plans” to meet to discuss the future of Tomás Ó Flatharta as manager.
Ó Flatharta signed a three-year deal to manage the Tribesmen last October, with the caveat that his position would come under a yearly review.
After Saturday’s defeat to Meath in the All-Ireland qualifiers Ó Flatharta’s position as boss has been questioned in many circles, but chairman of the football board, John Joe Holleran claims the manager’s future is not their top priority at the moment.
“Our immediate plans are to concentrate on the Connacht final for our minors next weekend and getting the intermediate and senior championships back in action in the coming weeks,” said Holleran.
“The weekend was disappointing for us, but we left ourselves with too much to do in the second-half.
“It is only 48 hours since the end of the match and we are in no rush. We’ll take out time, but the Connacht final is our main priority now.”
Hayes and Canning set new scoring records
By JOHN FALLON
It remains to be seen if Galway finally end their All-Ireland hurling famine this year but long-standing scoring records went by the wayside in the 2-23 to 1-14 win over Cork.
Damien Hayes became Galway’s top championship goal-scorer when scored his 19th championship goal against Cork.
The previous week he equalled Noel Lane’s record of 18 when he found the net against Clare. Ironically, Lane was one of three former Galway stars to question the calibre of the current crop prior to their Leinster semi-final clash with Dublin.
“I don’t think Noel will mind that his record is gone,” said Hayes. “You don’t think about records, it was just an important goal to get.”
And his Portumna clubmate Joe Canning became Galway’s all-time top championship scorer on Saturday evening — in less than half the games it took PJ Molloy to amass his haul of 13-113.
The former All-Star from Athenry, who won All-Ireland medals in 1980 and ’87, chalked up his total in 36 games throughout the ‘seventies and ‘eighties when Galway became a force for the first time since the 1950s.
Canning’s final point in a haul of 0-9 against Cork brought his total to 13-114 in just 17 games. Canning is just in his fourth year as a senior and has averaged 0-9 in each championship game.
Galway back with a bang
Galway 4-25
Clare 0-20
By JOHN FALLON
Galway hurlers got their championship ambitions back on track with a facile win at Pearse Stadium on Saturday with a performance that banished some of the Dublin debacle but notions of All-Ireland glory could be premature.
Clare were very poor defensively and were prised open rather easily by a fired-up Galway side who won the toss and took advantage of the strong wind.
“The game would have been different had we won the toss – we were hoping to win it but even that didn’t go our way,” lamented Clare boss Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin afterwards.
Galway blitzed the suspect Clare defence and if the game was not entirely over as a contest when they led by 3-13 to 0-12 at the interval, then it certainly lost its competitive edge when Clare wing-back James McInerney was red-carded for a lunge at Joe Canning after 40 minutes.
That ensured a fairly leisurely stroll for Galway thereafter, with nine players finding the target as they hit 4-20 from play and Galway supporters in the crowd of 13,011 shook their heads and wondered how they could be steamrolled two weeks ago by Dublin and then they go and produce this sort of flowing hurling.
The Galway attitude was superb throughout, point chances were cast aside if there was even a hint of a goal and defenders who two weeks ago were accused of being afraid to put their hands up for ball, were offering limbs in kamikaze fashion.
But if this one-sided encounter was about Galway’s redemption, then the agony goes on for Clare. Aside from a relegation win over Wexford two years ago, they have not won a championship match since defeating Limerick in the 2008 Munster semi-final. Since then they have lost all eight championship games.
Damien Hayes tormented the Clare defence from the outset, blasting to the net after seven minutes and then setting up Canning, and while his effort came back off the butt of the left post, Farragher pounced to score.
Two more quick points from Canning saw Galway lead by 2-4 to 0-1 after juts 14 minutes and Canning piled on the agony when he bulldozed and jinked his way through for their third goal after 28 minutes.
Conor McGrath and Nicky O’Connell did most to keep Clare in the hunt with a string of points, mainly from placed balls, but the
Galway defence was solid with Shane Kavanagh and Tony Og Regan impressive in the central positions.
McInerney’s dismal ended the game as a contest and Galway used David Collins as an unmarked sweeper and up front they exploited the extra space, with Farragher setting up Alan Kerins for their fourth goal after 54 minutes.
Scorers:
Galway: J Canning (1-9, 3fs, 1slc, 1’65); G Farragher (1-4); D Hayes (1-3); A Kerins (1-2); I Tannian (0-2); J Gantley (0-2); D Burke (0-1); A Smith (0-1); J Regan (0-1).
Clare: N O’Connell (0-6, 5fs, 1’65); C McGrath (0-5, 4fs); C Morey (0-3); J Conlon (0-2); J Clancy (0-1); F Lynch (0-1); C McInerney (0-1); L Markham (0-1).
Galway: J Skehill; F Moore, S Kavanagh, D Collins; D Barry (D Joyce, blood, 62), T Óg Regan, A Cullinane (K Hynes, 70); A Smith, D Burke (B Daly, 65); J Gantley (J Regan, 65), G Farragher (A Harte, 66), J Canning; D Hayes, I Tannian (C Donnellan, 57), A Kerins.
Clare: P Brennan; P Vaughan (B Bugler, 35), C Dillon, C Cooney; P O’Connor, P Donnellan (G Quinn, 63), J McInerney; N O’Connell, J Clancy (L Markham, 43); J Conlon, F Lynch (S Collins, 48), D McMahon (C O’Donovan, 57); C McInerney, C Morey, C McGrath.
Dubs dissect hapless Galway
Dublin 0-19
Galway 2-7
By DECLAN ROONEY
It wasn’t the size of the defeat that will concern Galway hurling fans, rather the lack of intensity and appetite for the battle from John McIntyre’s side in Tullamore on Saturday that will cause most distress.
A good start saw Galway lead Dublin after eight minutes and a second-half Joe Gantley goal brought them back within striking distance with 14 minutes remaining, but on both occasion the Tribesmen failed to kick on.
From the first whistle to the last, Galway were out-muscled, out-fought and out thought.
Yet despite their ineptitude the losing margin was only six points. But with 15 wides to their name – many of them uncharacteristic misses – the result could have been far different.
Thirteen points – 11 of which were frees – from Paul Ryan stole the headlines, but equally noticeable was his opposite number’s poor day.
But with his eighth minute goal that gave Galway a two-point it had all started so well for Joe Canning.
However from then on, a rusty effort from the Portumna man saw him miss the target with two frees and a 65, another close range free was inexplicably blocked down and an attempted quick free was easily intercepted by the Dublin defence.
But everyone can have an off day, and the talented full-forward was not alone in that department with only Gantley and substitute Alan Kerins making a significant impacts up front.
But once again the old frailties raised their heads, with Anthony Daly’s side hovering up possession from their own, and crucially, Galway puck-outs.
If any further progress is to be made in this year’s championship some emergency patchwork needs to be ordered for this sector.
At the back things looked a lot more solid. David Collins performed well at full-back; Tony Óg Regan had a good day on his return to the side and Shane Kavanagh nailed down the wing-back berth with a stellar performance. But the positives stop there.
When Dublin were reduced to 14 men after Ryan O’Dwyer’s straight red for an altercation with Kavanagh with 13 minutes remaining, they doubled their defensive efforts. Galway only hit one point from then until the end.
After the match the Galway management spoke of ‘retrieving reputations’, but Saturday week is their final chance to do that.
Victory against Clare on their home patch will re-ignite Galway championship campaign, but defeat will probably spell the end for McIntyre.
Scorers:
Dublin: P Ryan (0-13 11fs); C Keaney (0-3); D O’Callaghan (0-2); A McCrabbe (0-1).
Galway: J Canning (1-3, 2fs); J Gantley (1-3); A Kerins (0-1).
Dublin: G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, O Gough; J McCaffrey, P Kelly, S Durkin; L Rushe, A McCrabbe; C McCormack, R O’Dwyer, C Keaney; P Carton, D O’Callaghan, P Ryan.
Subs: S Lambert for Brady, inj, 11; D Plunkett for Carton, 59; D Treacy for McCormack, 63; M O’Brien for McCrabbe, 66; D O’Dwyer for Treacy, 69.
Galway: J Skehill; D Joyce, D Collins, F Moore; S Kavanagh, T Og Regan, A Cullinane; B Daly, D Burke; E Ryan, C Donnellan, J Gantley; D Hayes, J Canning, A Callanan.
Subs: A Kerins for Ryan, half-time; D Barry for Daly, inj, 49; K Hynes for Burke, 56; A Harte for Hayes, 62; J Coen for Callanan, 66.
Ó Flatharta gets his men
By JOHN FALLON
Galway manager Tomas Ó Flatharta believes that his newly appointed selectors have the pedigree for success.
Ó Flatharta unveiled former All-Ireland winners Martin McNamara and Sean Og de Paor as his backroom team at the weekend.
McNamara was goalkeeper in 1998 when Galway lifted the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in 32 years and the Corofin man has been involved in club management since retirement, guiding Milltown to the county final.
Double All-Star de Paor, who won All-Ireland medals in 1998 and 2001, is a selector with the Irish International Rules team.
Former Westmeath boss Ó Flatharta said that he laid down certain criteria before going looking for selectors.
“They are both winners. They have brought success to their clubs and Galway. They are passionate about Galway football.
“They are both well regarded and they didn’t stop when their own playing careers ended. They got involved in coaching and both bring a lot of knowledge with them,” said Ó Flatharta.
He said the response to the announcement of the two selectors was very encouraging and they would now be concentrating on getting a good winter programme in place.
“We have a lot of work to do but we are all looking forward to the challenge,” added Ó Flatharta, who has been appointed for the next three years.
