Ladies round-up: Galway boss Glennon not getting carried away

March 26, 2018

Galway manager Stephen Glennon.
©INPHO/Donall Farmer.

Compiled by Emma Duffy 

Having handed TG4 All-Ireland senior champions Dublin their first defeat of the 2018 Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 campaign, Galway won't get too carried away.

With three wins and one draw from five fixtures under their belt, they're within touching distance of the knock-out stages and manager Stephen Glennon was pleased with their showing at Abbotstown yesterday.

"All that we were looking for, and I know it's a bit of a cliché, is the performance," he said afterwards.

"We just wanted to measure up and see where we were at and stay in the game as long as we could. And the girls did that."

"For the last month, we have been together and the girls put their heads down and worked really hard. Maybe Dublin's preparations coming into this game were disrupted with the All-Star trip where we'd one on it, Sinead Burke, and they had 10 on it." 

A scoring blitz from the Tribeswomen midway during the second half was enough to see them past Mick Bohan's Sky Blues.

Led by captain Tracey Leonard and Caitriona Cormican, Galway hit 1-5 over eight minutes while Dublin registered just a single point in that period.

A late Nicole Owens goal couldn't sway the result as Leonard nailed two free-kicks to inspire Galway to their third win of the 2018 campaign.

Elsewhere in the top flight, league holders Cork edged Mayo to take the top spot on points difference, while Donegal and Monaghan also recorded wins.

Six in-a-row chasing Cork made it four wins from five as they withstood a late Mayo scare at Mallow, with Ephie Fitzgerald hailing it as the 'most physical battle we have had all year'.

"They brought a fierce intensity to the game, but they are the type of games you want at this time of year to test you," he said afterwards.

"We had a good start to the second-half, which told in the end and we managed to hang on when they got the late goal."

Trailing by four, Mayo rattled the net in the closing exchanges through Shauna Howley but the Rebelettes hung on to take the points on offer.

The game finished 1-12 to 2-8, with Orla Finn hitting 0-8 while dual star Libby Coppinger bagged Cork's only goal.

In Clones, the returning Ellen McCarron inspired Monaghan to a two-point win over Westmeath - who are yet to secure a single point in 2018.

The Farney effectively secured their Division 1 survival as McCarron finished with 0-7 and Ciara McAnespie, fresh home from the TG4 All-Stars Tour to Bangkok, slotted home the all-important goal.

And Maxi Curran's Donegal were ruthless in their dispatch of the struggling Kerry, firing six goals in a one-sided rout.

Red-hot Yvonne Bonner and Ciara Grant scored a brace each while Karen Guthrie and Sarah Jane McDonald also found the back of the net.

In Division 2 meanwhile, Tipperary continued their impressive rise from the lower rank and made it five wins from five as they eased past Sligo.

Hot on their heels at the top of the table, there were also wins for Waterford, Armagh and Tyrone.

The Deise beat Cavan on home soil, while Armagh overcame Laois and Tyrone fired six goals past Clare in Saturday's fixture.

Wexford are also five from five in Division 3 following their victory over Meath, while Down won their outing and Longford and Offaly shared the spoils

In Division 4, Wicklow's winning streak continues, with Louth, Carlow and Limerick joining them with Round 6 successes.


Most Read Stories