Ladies Senior Football: Connacht Ladies 1-13 Boston Shamrocks 5-10

The Boston Shamrocks and Connacht Ladies delivers another very exciting, open, and fast ladies senior football contest. The Shamrocks repeated their feat of two weeks ago, but in a more convincing fashion with fine displays from Mary and Linda Cronin, Alisha Smith, and Edel McGovern. It was anybody’s game until the final 10 minutes when a flurry of scores and a Sarah Cunningham goal effectively decided and exciting contest.

The game was finely balanced and at the end of the first half it was all square at 2-4 for the Shamrocks to 1-7 for Connacht Ladies. The first quarter belonged to the Shamrocks who played some great passing football. Sharon McGovern got things going with a well taken goal. McGovern tipped the dropping ball over the head of the advancing Caroline Heraty for the Shamrocks first score of the game. Then it was the Cronin sisters who reciprocated with Linda supplying Mary with the ball for one score, and then the other way around for another point. With the Shamrocks rolling and keeping things in the back line tight, thanks in large part to the efforts of Edel McGovern at full back, another goal came from Orla Heavey. Heavey was played through with a lovely ball and made no mistake from close range. Connacht settled into the game and began to win more of the ball. Sinead Ryan took advantage of free taking opportunities and the Waterford native pointed three times from frees and twice from play. Annemarie McDaid and Jane Ward had also scored to make it just a one goal difference, before the high ball in to Christina Newton paid dividends. Newton fed the incoming Louise Brett who drilled the ball into the top left corner on the stroke of half time to set up an enticing second period.

The Shamrocks had doubled their goal tally before the second half was 10 minutes old. First it was Mary Cronin who finished brilliantly from a tight angle, and shortly afterwards it was Linda who put away a penalty after McGovern was fouled in the large square. It was still close though. Connacht had pointed through Ryan and Ward and following the goals through Brett and Ryan and there was just the two points in it. The Shamrocks then powered it home with some fine performances. Alisha Smith in the middle of the field won a healthy amount of ball and at wing back Niamh Lonergan turned on the after burners on a few occasions. The key to the game was a sequence of points from the Caherciveen sisters. Each put a lovely point over the bar, and Linda a third to make it a six point game. Smith then fed Cunningham for the Shamrocks fifth goal and that was the game. The Shamrocks stand at the top of the table and meet Tir na nOg next Sunday.

Connacht: C. Heraty, A. Kerr, J. O’Connell, L. Burns, M. Trainor, E. McElroy, L. Ryan, K. O’Shea, L. Brett, A. McDaid, J. Wad, J. McDonagh, K. Lynch, C. Newton, S. Ryan. Shamrocks: Laurna Behan, D. Hallissey, E. McGovern, S. McMahon, A. McDonnell, B. Gallagher, N. Lonergan, A. Smith, S. Carroll, O. Heavey, L. Cronin, S. Cunningham, S. McGovern, C. Hegarty, M. Cronin.

Senior Hurling

Galway 2-10 Wexford 2-13

Wexford pulled off a well deserved win in what has been the most intensely contested senior hurling championship match this season. Galway lined out with Dubliner, Liam Rushe, at corner forward and would have been considered the slight favourites. Wexford worked hard for the 60 minutes and had to stand firm to hold out Galway in the final minutes and preserve the victory.

At the end of the first half Wexford surprisingly held an eight point lead. Galway conceded two goals, both from dead balls. On the first occasion Paudie Kehoe fired the ball into the corner of the net from inside the 45. The second was a dropping ball into the box delivered from the opposite side of the field that seemed to slip past a clash of hurls and into the net. Wexford were the more fired up of the teams and played with that bit more intensity than their opponents. Michael Moloney, Eoghan Kavanagh, and Kehoe all found the mark while for Galway Kevin Canty put a couple of neat scores over the bar, Liam Rush and Gunian also pointed. Galway switched Barry McNamara from midfield for Cian McBride late in the half in an effort to sway the game to their advantage. The question at the break was whether Wexford could keep it going for another 30 minutes.

Wexford continued to work hard in the second half, especially when the Galway back line were trying to clear the ball. Paudie Kehoe took advantage on one occasion and what looked like a Galway clearance ended up a Wexford point. Galway, however, got right back into the game with two goals in the space of 5 minutes. The first came from Stephen Brown who fired in from the 14 yard line. The second was the result of some perceptive play by Cian McBride. The Dubliner got free on the far side of the field and had a go from long range. The shot was saved by Spruhan, but Moylan was on had at the far post to put the ball away. Wexford found the going tougher as Galway stepped up the tempo. Brown, Watkins,and Cian Kelly at the back cleared their lines well, while Seamus Corry kept it going in the middle of the field. Guinan popped over a couple of frees as Wexford were forced to foul on occasion. The Slaneysiders did manage to keep their noses in front as they capitalized on the chances they had. Paudie Kehoe pointed three times from frees down the stretch and with time almost up there was still a three point difference. Galway won a 21 yard free as John Moylan was fouled, and Michael Walsh received a yellow card. Guinan went for goal and the ball was stopped, but then a schmozzle ensued in which Walsh received a second yellow. There was more dramatics as Galway were hell bent on getting the equalizing goal, and at least three times the Wexford men held firm on the line. Ed Spruhan kept his composure on a couple of occasions to save well, during all of which Liam Rushe received his marching orders for a dangerous pull. Wexford managed to clear each time and were very satisfied following the win over their Brighton rivals.

Galway: M. Mulrooney, D. Shaw, C. Kelly, B. Watkins, S. Nolan, J. Kinsella, S. Corry, B. McNamara, E. Guinan, J. Moylan, S. Brown, L. Rush, K. Canty. Wexford: E. Spruhan, M. Walsh, D. Redmond, B. O’Connor, P. Nolan, B. Dalton, T. Moloney, J. O’Neill, J. Kehoe, E. Kavanagh, P. Kehoe, P. Cody, M. Moloney.

Senior Football

Mayo 0-7 Galway 2-12

Galway ended up comfortable winners against Mayo in the first senior football match of the day on Sunday. Mayo did well to stay in the game and had Stevie McHale taken advantage of a golden first half goal chance Galway would have been on the ropes. Just before the break Paddy O’Rourke took advantage of his first real opening and netted to take the steam out of Mayo’s challenge and the Galwaymen went on to win in comfortable fashion.

Mayo started the game with Barry McShea deployed at corner back to mark Paddy O’Rourke, Galway’s dangerman. The Swinford man executed his duties well and kept the Skryne youngster quiet until just before half time when O’Rourke netted. Mayo were very much in the game though they would have been considered the underdog. Donal McCarthy in the middle of the field, Sean Clifford at corner back, and Sean Boylan at corner forward all did well, while Galway’s triangle of Ollie Doherty and Eoghan Kavanagh in midfield, with Tommy Walsh at center forward didn’t move out of second gear. Mayo only managed only the one point from Boylan, but could have had a goal after Rob Murphy played Steve McHale through, but McHale shot badly wide. Galway pointed through an O’Rourke free, Kevin O’Grady (3) and Ollie Doherty before O’Rourke’s goal. McShea came off his man to intercept an inbound pass to Tommy Walsh, but having failed to win the ball ended up stranded and O’Rourke took full advantage from the edge of the square to bury the ball from close range. Galway followed with two points from O’Grady and O’Rourke.

The scores came easier for Galway in the second half and the tribesmen put the game away in the first 15 minutes of the second half. After outscoring Mayo to the tune of four points to two, substitute Rob Vickers netted a second goal for Galway. That was all she wrote. Mayo gamely attacked the Galway goal, and converted four points on the trot in the latter stages of the game from Kevin McAllister and Patrick Hickey. O’Rourke finished the game with a tally of a goal and five points and had the final say with a pointed 45 meter kick. Galway are still on track for a playoff shot and have a big game ahead of them in two weeks time against Cork.

Mayo: B. Cassidy, B. McShea, S. Clifford, L. Monaghan, R. Murphy, C. Clifford, D. McGowan, D. McCarthy, S. McHale, P. Hickey, T. Rooney, S. Boylon, K. McAllister. Galway: P. McComiskey, J. O’Callaghan, D. Wynne, S. Gallagher, E. Whelan, S. O’Donnell, E. Kavanagh, O. Doherty, J. Kehoe, T. Walsh, D. Reddin, K. O’Grady, P. O’Rourke.

Connemara Gaels 1-8 Christopher’s 3-13

Christopher’s put themselves into playoff contention with a comprehensive win over the Connemara Gaels Sunday afternoon. A two goal and five point salvo in the first quarter destroyed any hope that the Gaels had of taking something from the game. In fact, the first Gaels wide came after 14 minutes of play, and it was over as a contest by half time as Christopher’s led by eleven points.

Christopher’s had the game more or less put away in the first half as the Gaels looked surprisingly lack luster. Chris Brady pointed right after the throw in, and was followed by Gavin O’Grady. O’Grady then netted as the ball over the top caught the Gaels defence and Brady found O’Grady who goaled from an angle. The Gaels seemed indifferent as Christopher’s continued to tear the defence apart. Brian Joyce was called upon on several occasions to try and keep the score somewhat respectable as the yothe league graduate made two or three fantastic point blank saves. Christopher’s second goal came from the Gaels defence caught ball watching again, and O’Grady drew two defenders and passed to Brady who found the opening to finish. Down by eleven points, the Gaels decided to play some football and pointed three times on the trot, but any hopes of denting the Christopher’s lead before the break came to nothing as points from David Culhane, Brady and Dan Kenneally restored the lead. At the break it was a 2-8 to 0-3 advantage for Christopher’s.

In the second period the Gaels put up an improved performance. The deficit was so great that Christopher’s could afford to take the foot off the gas. Joe Greaney won some ball and points came from his boot three times, another from Sean Conneely and one wondered if there was an outside chance that a Gaels goal might liven things up. A goal came, but it was for Christopher’s. Shortly after Joyce saved again Chris Brady scored his second goal to put nine points between the teams. Sean Moran netted a consolation for the Gaels with five minutes left on the clock. A game that asks a lot of questions about where the Gaels playoff prospects and not a contest that Christopher’s can use as a gauge of where they stand.

Gaels: B. Joyce, C. O’Donnell, D. Doolan, S. Curran, C. Sweeney, C. Mulkerrins, J. Greaney, S. Moran, S. Conneely, G. Delaney, F. O’Beara, M. Stevenson,M. Rogers. Christopher’s: P. Kenneally, N. Ryan, C. Murphy, T. Clancy, S. O’Hare, D. O’Leary, D. Kenneally, P. Delaney, D. Culhane, S. Flanagan, D. Casey, G. O’Grady, C. Brady.

Scoreboard

Senior Football: Cork 3-16 Armagh-Notre Dame 1-3

Junior A Football: Connemara Gaels 1-10 Shannon Blues 0-10

Junior B Football: Kerry 1-10 Galway 2-10

Mayo bt. Shannon Blues

Donegal 3-19 Armagh-Notre Dame 3-7

Cork bt Hartford

Boston GAA Schedule

All games at the Irish Cultural Center unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, July 25:

5:00 Junior Hurling: Fr. Tom Burke’s v Tipperary

5:30 Junior B Football: Mayo v Aidan McAnespies

Saturday, July 28:

4:15 Senior Football: Kerry v Christopher’s

5:30 Senior Hurling: Fr. Tom Burke’s v Wexford

Field B:

5:45 Junior B Football: Shannon Blues v Galway

Sunday, July 29:

12:00 Ladies Senior Football: Boston Shamrocks v Tir na nOg

1:15 Senior Football: Armagh-Notre Dame v Mayo

2:30 Senior Football: Shannon Blues v Wolfe Tones

3:45 Senior Hurling: Tipperary v Galway

5:00 Senior Football: Aidan McAnespies v Donegal

Field B:

12:00 Junior A Football: Donegal v Aidan McAnespies (Rescheduled from July 22)

1:45 Junior B Football: Donegal v Cork

3:15 Junior B Football: Hartford v New England Celtics

4:45 Armagh-Notre Dame v Kerry