A first league title beckons for Galway ladies

Thu, May 06, 2010

Galway will put their unbeaten record on the line when they take on Cork in the Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League division one final on Saturday (5.15pm).

United’s youngsters start to gel

Thu, May 06, 2010

United’s youngsters start to gel There is no shortage of tough games in this year’s Airtricity League, but Galway United will head for Tallaght Stadium tomorrow night heartened following an encouraging week. Four points from two games in which Galway were forced to field depleted teams ensures Sean Connor’s improving outfit will be hoping to disturb Shamrock Rovers in the capital. Despite playing without a recognised goalkeeper against Bray Wanderers, Galway won, and they decorated the success with a clean sheet. Then on Tuesday a draw was eked out in a tense Connacht derby with Sligo Rovers even though Galway were decimated by injuries and illness. Unsurprisingly Sean Connor cut a content figure after the two impressive results. "I am delighted with the point considering Bobby Ryan, Stephen O'Donnell, Ciaran Foley, and Derek O'Brien were injured. Anto Flood pulled out with a bad stomach bug before the game. My whole starting midfield and a striker were gone so it was tremendous. “ I thought Friday night's result was good, but this is even better. I made the point to the players that I felt we were conceding silly goals because I always feel we have goals in us when we have got the front two on. If you think about the games we have lost they have usually been by the odd goal. Once we stopped conceding silly goals we will start picking up more points. "Sometimes I am very critical of them, and sometimes I need to be reminded that it is only the 12th game they have played together as team. So they are all learning about each other, and they are learning about me as well. “I said it after the Bray game, the future of the football club is in good hands with that bunch of players. My full backs are young, two of the midfielders are under 21, the front two were under 21 so it was a tremendous effort.” Despite a restricted budget Connor has attracted decent footballers to the west, and insists that the club can improve further in the coming months. "There is a bit of a buzz here now, and there is a team spirit. Galway is a nice place to live and a nice place to work. We are all ambitious, maybe if we stick together things will happen. When I came here I signed a three year contract, and I feel that at Sligo I probably left a year too early, and maybe at Bohs I never got the chance to finish the work that I started. I certainly didn't get the chance to finish the work that I started at Dundalk so there is an opportunity here to build a team and a squad. “ It will be a young team because finances are always going to be tight. We are not going to be able to sign the big, expensive players, but we can build the young ones. The good ones will develop, and move on, we are just going to have to try to replace them. " There is a willingness there to deal with adversity. Rhys Meynell was fantastic in goal when he went in there, the others were great too. I was delighted that Barry Ryan kept a clean sheet, and they are all looking after each other which is a good thing for a manager.” The Hoops were overturned by Dundalk at Oriel Park on Monday so they will be especially intent on defeating Galway, but Connor remains optimistic. "We just have to keep going, it will be a massive test at Rovers. All the pressure is going to be on them. Every time we go to a big team like Rovers or Bohs they seem to have lost, and they are on the comeback. Teams like that want to hit back immediately so it makes our task doubly difficult. "The only good thing for us is that O'Donnell, Foley, Ryan, and Flood didn't play on Tuesday, and they should be available for Friday. We will have four fresh bodies to come in and that is important.” • Galway United Supporters’ Trust will be running a bus to Friday’s premier division match at Tallaght Stadium. The bus will depart from the Marriott Hotel, Headford Road, at 4pm. To book a seat contact Ronan 087-6972823. GUST has a number of match tickets available for the upcoming international friendlies at the RDS against Paraguay (Tuesday May 25 ) and Algeria (Friday May 25). Contact Ronan for further information.

Connacht can mix it with the big boys

Thu, May 06, 2010

Connacht left their hearts, bodies, and Heineken Cup dreams on the Sportsground pitch on Friday night, but it was a performance and a result that confirms Connacht Rugby can go places.

Connacht juniors let lead slip

Thu, May 06, 2010

Connacht head to Cork next Saturday in the final game of the Junior Rugby Interprovincial series looking to repeat their victory of last season over Munster.

Bradley expects sell-out crowd to help Connacht battle Toulon’s big guns

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Connacht’s much anticipated European semi-final has finally arrived. Tomorrow evening Connacht take on a red-hot Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at the Galway Sportsground.

Rejuvenated Duffy revels in Connacht’s growing confidence

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

One of a handful of players who have experienced both the highs and lows of European rugby, Connacht fullback Gavin Duffy is fully prepared for the range of emotions that Friday evening’s Challenge Cup match could produce.

United’s hectic schedule taking its toll

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

It has been a mixed couple of weeks for Galway United, and the pleasure of Friday’s satisfying win over Drogheda United was briskly followed by the pain of a defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic on Monday. Tomorrow Galway head for the Carlisle Grounds to face an awkward clash with a Bray Wanderers outfit encouraged by a lively away victory over Dundalk.

Promising Galway youngsters grab inter-league honours

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Having shown plenty of skill en route to the FAI Umbro Youth Inter-League final, a competent Galway & District League side remained calm and composed in the decider when comprehensively defeating Wicklow at Drom on Sunday.

Connacht juniors look ahead to Leinster

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Connacht Juniors take on Leinster in the second junior interprovincial rugby fixture at Creggs on Saturday (2.30pm) in the hopes of re-staking a claim for this year’s title.

Maree Oranmore soccer celebrates

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Maree Oranmore Juvenile Soccer Club is hosting a free community family fun day at the astro turf in Oranmore on Saturday from 2pm to 6pm.

Galway hurlers head to Semple Stadium with convinction

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Talking to Galway’s hurling manager John McIntyre during the week about this Sunday’s national hurling league final against Cork was a breath of fresh air. No clichés. No boring “we’ll do our best”. Or the other classic: “It’s only the league, and if we win, we win. And if we don’t, it’s the championship that counts.”

Mellows grab opening day victory

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

The Galway county hurling championship got under way last weekend with a raft of first round matches in the group stages.

Galway open Connacht championship in New York

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

The Galway senior footballers start their 2010 Connacht football championship campaign away to New York this weekend. The game is fixed for 4pm (local time) in Gaelic Park and will be refereed by Maurice Condon.

Unbeaten Galway ladies advance to league final

Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Galway will meet Cork in the Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League division one final on May 8 thanks to a gusty second-half display against Laois at Kiltoom on Sunday.

Connor prepares United to ‘blow hot’ for Drogheda visit

Thu, Apr 22, 2010

After losing the first of three Terryland Park premier league matches on the spin, Galway United will hope to register some points over a crucial weekend.

Connacht must strike suffering Scarlets

Thu, Apr 22, 2010

Connacht head to Llanelli for their penultimate away match of the Magners League with high hopes of keeping pace with Ulster in the fight for the last Irish Heineken Cup place.

Local derby for first division sides

Thu, Apr 22, 2010

Mervue United and Salthill Devon clash for the first time this season in the Airtricity League first division.

Thornton grabs silver in Great Ireland Run

Thu, Apr 22, 2010

Galway athlete Gary Thornton claimed the runner-up medal in this year’s AAI National 10k Championships which were incorporated into the Great Ireland Run for the first time.