Galway Advertiser 2007/2007_03_15/GA_1503_E1_159.pdf 

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March 15 2007

SPORT

159

Vital few days in race for Premier league title
BY CIAN O'CONNELL It will be a defining weekend. The race for the Western Hygiene Supplies Premier Division title is edging towards a dramatic climax. Mervue United, Salthill Devon, Athenry, and West United are heavily involved in the race. Reigning champions Hibernians suffered a crushing loss at Drom last Sunday. That result confirmed the credentials of Stevie Haynes and Paul Reidy's Salthill Devon. Vinny Faherty smashed home an opportunistic brace, while another Eircom League under 21 winning squad member Robbie Porter also rattled the Hibs' net. Former Galway United midfielder Juan Rojas announced his return to the Hibs colours with a goal, but Salthill inflicted sufficient damage to claim a sixth successive league success. Salthill now face a tricky assignment away to a rapidly improving Dynamo Blues in Tuam. Blues recently defeated Mervue and won't fear Salthill. It promises to be as interesting as it is important on Sunday. Simon Murray and Jason Molloy were on target as Mervue stay perched on the summit. Mervue possessed the necessary savvy to claim a critical win against a plucky Colemanstown United outfit. Fresh from their Connacht Cup win over Hibs, Colemanstown are clearly growing in confidence and will be targeting a victory this weekend when Abbey Town come to Galway in the next round of the provincial competition. Mervue make the short journey across town on Monday afternoon for a vital encounter with fellow title challengers West United, who have been dumped out of two cups in the past fortnight. West will need to be more clinical if Mervue are to be knocked from the top. Darren Roache, McDara Clancy, Dara O'Neill, and Thomas Caldwell have all been solid recent contributors for West despite the losses. Ollie Neary and Mairtin Higgins have assembled a typically strong Mervue panel. There is a nice mixture of youth and experience ensuring future Mervue teams will benefit. Eoin Martin, Rynal Browne, and Murray are key performers for Mervue. Athenry, who cruised to a facile success over Renmore, face a difficult test at Westside. A rejuvenated Corrib Rangers are acquiring form and were deserving victors over West in the Connacht cup last Sunday. With Johnny O'Brien, Neil Rabbitte, and Conor Clery all in decent form Rangers have the ability to cause an upset. Johnny Mernagh, Jonathan Keane, and Jamie O'Driscoll all bagged for Athenry in Renmore, and Timmy Holian will be demanding another three point haul. At Bohermore Hibs host basement boys Corrib Celtic on Sunday morning. Hibs still have a mathematical chance of retaining their crown. Still they now are depending on results elsewhere.

Darren Roache will be hoping to deny his former club on Monday.

Galway hold on for satisfying Salthill success
BY CIAN O'CONNELL Initially Galway were beautiful. Bravery was required after the restart. Kildare eventually demonstrated their prowess as a plethora of replacements added substance to their assault. Admirably Galway closed the deal. Footballing class has a glorious permanence. On a wicked Sunday by the sea Galway partisans witnessed the artistic genius of Padraig Joyce. The breadth of Joyce's game lit up a drab afternoon when only the most partisan came to monitor their team. Joyce's thrilling display will linger long in the memory. The extravagantly gifted Killererin attacker pulled the strings with an assurance that augurs well. Seven minutes had elapsed when Joyce gathered possession. With a dextrous turn Joyce proceeded to steer the most intricate of passes to his cousin Nicky, who supplied a similarly neat finish. In the first half Joyce nailed a brace of points and fashioned a further 1-3. The locals were enthused. Galway's opening period display was sumptuous. The maroons mixed the short and long games intelligently. Joyce provided a spearhead inside, and was ably assisted by his lieutenants. Cousin Nicky, Derek Savage, and Ja Fallon all contributed handsomely. Cormac Bane rifled over a hat-trick of points as Galway dictated the play. Niall Coleman's work-rate was trojan. the Pearse Stadium field to sample the conditions; it was a greasy afternoon in the west. There would be no place for the faint hearted. A lively battle was imminent. Speculation filtered into the scarcely populated stand. Longford referee Derek Fahy carefully inspected the pitch. Puddles were evident, but the warm ups continued. A string of conferences took place, and eventually a decision was made. Game on. There was a suggestion that the contest may not finish. Thankfully it did. Galway emerged as narrow victors following a lively tussle. A minute's silence was observed immaculately in the memory of former Galway hurler Willie Concannon. A proud city GAA man, Concannon's sporting life was saluted by an appreciative crowd. Concannon's achievements in the Liam Mellows and St Michael's shirts were remembered.

Kildare was always going to be tough test
Kildare arrived in Pearse Stadium protecting an encouraging unbeaten league record. Lilywhite confidence wasn't an issue. Manager John Crofton is assembling a hungry and committed batch of footballers. But Galway had the craft and savvy to negotiate this awkward hurdle. Peter Ford cut a relieved but satisfied figure after a hectic climax. "It was a bit like our match two weeks ago against Armagh. That day we were six down but we dominated the second half, but Kildare dominated the second half today. "I suppose at the end of the day we won. Whether it is by two points, six or eight it doesn't really matter so long as you win. At half time we said we wanted to

start the second half well and pull away, but fair play to Kildare, they battled well. We got a bit careless with some of our passing and a bit of over elaboration, but we played well early on in the first half and that stood to us. "We could have scored

another 1-3 or 1-4 in the first half, but Kildare's pride was at stake and they put in a huge second half. We always felt that once all our players were back that we would start picking up the points and thankfully that has been the case. "We have Westmeath

next and that will be a huge game for us, especially after losing to them in last year's championship." With Joyce and Michael Meehan back in attack the maroons are gathering momentum. Galway will be seeking revenge in Mullingar.

Marist win Junior thriller
Marist College St Joseph's, Garbally
BY CAOMHAN O'CONNELL

10 6

Wretched weather
An hour before throw-in rain poured relentlessly from the Salthill sky. The Galway panel flocked onto

NUI Galway AFC, congratulate Seamus Conneely on being selected to represent the Irish Universities in their upcoming International fixtures versus the Irish Defence Forces and the Irish Technical Colleges. Seamus is a scholarship recipient from NUI Galway Sports Medicine and Sports Med West. Congratulations also to Iarlaith Davoren from NUI Galway AFC who has also been selected for the squad. Pictured (Left to Right): James O'Toole (NUI Galway Sports Medicine and Sports Med West), Seamus Conneely (NUI Galway AFC), Dr. Eric Mortimer (NUI Galway AFC).

Connacht Junior Rugby proved itself to be in rude health as Marist College, Athlone and Garbally College, Ballinasloe played out an absolutely enthralling final of the Connacht Schools Cup in the Sportsground this Tuesday. Played as the curtain-raiser to the senior decider, the juniors could never have been surpassed in terms of entertainment, endeavour or tension. Marist's path to victory began with a setback as the plucky Coleman Maher kicked Garbally in front after four minutes. Just barely after the cheers of the Ballinasloe faithful had died did they find themselves in arrears in this tit-fortat contest. Garbally had claimed the re-start and launched straight into another attack, only for pacy centre David Butler to throw an interception pass to Marist hero Brendan Fagan who returned the ball under the posts to launch the underdogs into a 7-3 lead after five minutes. Though the game was only its embryonic stages, a converted try was always going to be of huge import. This rang true as the half failed to see another score. This was not for the want of the efforts of a marauding Garbally pack, skilful, powerful Garbally backs who

were both counteracted by courageous Marist defence. Marist too had plenty of strings to their attacking bow, not least the incisive running of Brendan and David Fagan. The sublime kicking of Jack Carthy from hand and ground was also invaluable as he nudged Marist 10-3 ahead on the stroke of half-time. This highly entertaining, equal sparring continued after the break with stand-out Marist full-back Callum McCormack unlucky not to touch down in the corner after a flowing back-line move. The doggedness which embodies Garbally rugby was not about to falter and they bullied their way downfield and settled for a penalty to reduce the gap to four. An attacking onslaught from Garbally ensued and for nearly 15 minutes they lay siege to the Marist line with Conal Gormley leading the charge. The ferocity of Garbally's attack and the determination of the Marist defence was breathtaking. Countless try-saving tackles were made, countless heroic line breaks were made. But in the end, Marist emerged the victors in this absorbing, pulsating tie. Marist: C McCormack; A Connaughton, D Fagan, E Slevin, A Cassidy; J Carthy, A McArdle; N Quigley (Donoghue 57), P Hewitt, K Donnelly,; K Dowling, F Temple; C Fitzgibbon, E Gavin, B Fagan. Garbally: S Kenny; D O' Riordan, C Gormley, D Butler, S O' Toole; S Oats, C Maher; J Brooks, D Freeman, D Tierney; E Gorman, D Egan; N Dillon, A Moran, T Callaghan.