Page 42 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

ALLIANZ NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE
DIVISION 1B ROUND 1
STRIKE: Galway forward Jason Flynn on the charge against Antrim in their NHL Division 1B opener at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
Photo: Daire Brennan/SPORTSFILE
Page 42 – INTO THE WEST
Late scoring spree saves All-Ireland champs Galway from league loss to Antrim
Galway .......1-19 Antrim .....1-16
AN ROONEY Media West Ireland
Cooney’s point and three Conor Cooney frees put Galway in control. But the Ulster men landed three in a row as McManus and Gerard Walsh scored from play in the 15th and 16th minutes.
By DECL
Aidan Harte was handed a sweeping role around daithi Burke, and while he gathered a lot of possession, his distribution let him down on a couple of key times before half- time as McManus and Elliott punished him with scores as Antrim took a 0-10 to 0-9 lead in the 31st minute.
LL-irELAnd winners Galway
But a big hit from Conor Cooney on Paddy Burke forced a turnover in the 34th minute and after the St Thomas’ attacker carried well, he fed Concannon who hit the net from a tight angle to give Galway a 1-9 to 0-11 lead at the break.
avoid defeat to Antrim in their first game as
Stadium in the divi- sion 1B hurling league tie.
Another McManus free put Antrim two points clear in the 44th minute, and although Eanna Burke replied, Conor Johnston and Elliott a hit points from play to stretch that advantage to three points.
ahead with 14 minutes remaining, Antrim
But Galway came charging back as the prospect of defeat became a reality.
bench made an impact,
Joseph Cooney scores in the
win.
Seven points from
Antrim: Neil McManus 0-10 (7f, 1 ‘65,) Nigel Elliot 0- 3, Conor McCann 1-0, Conor Johnston 0-1, Gerard Walsh, David Kearney 0-1.
neil McManus, includ- ing two excellent efforts from play, and another two from nigel Elliott
GALWAY: J Skehill; M Donoghue; D Burke, J Grealish; A Tuohey, M Dolphin, A Harte; J Coen, E Burke; N Burke, J Cooney, P Flaherty; B Concannon, C Cooney, J Flynn. Subs: C Mannion for Concannon (30-32 blood), S Loftus for A Harte (HT), G McInerney for Grealish (41, inj), C Mannion for Flaherty (47), J Hanbury for Donoghue (50), D Glennon for Flynn (60).
ANTRIM: C O’Connell; A Graffin, J Dillon, D Kearney; J Maskey, M Donnelly, P Burke; C McKinley, G Walsh; M Connolly, N McManus, N Elliott; C Johnston, C McCann, D McKinley. Subs: J Connelly for M Connolly (27), J McNaughton for Elliott (65), E O’Neill for McKinley (67).
REFEREE: John O’Brien (Laois).
needed a late flurry of scores to
champions in Pearse
despite that setback and a good Joseph Cooney point to start the second-half, Antrim retook the lead in the 40th minute when Conor McCann’s low shot found its way past James Skehill – perhaps with the aid of a deflection off daithi Burke.
Three points
could not finish off the job as Galway’s
Substitutes Cathal Mannion, John Hanbury and davy Glennon all hit good scores to go with Joseph Cooney’s effort, while Conor Cooney sealed the win in added- time for the Tribesmen.
while Eanna Burke and
SCORERS – Galway: Conor Cooney 0-6 (4f, 1 ‘65) Brian Concannon 1-1, Joseph Cooney 0-3, Eanna Burke 0-3, Niall Burke 0-1, Paul Flaherty 0-1, Martin Dolphin 0-1, John Hanbury 0-1, Davey Glennon 0-1, Cathal Mannion 0-1.
finishing straight saw Galway to the
saw Antrim impose themselves on their hosts, although a couple of the five wides they hit in that opening 35 minutes could have been avoided too.
despite Galway’s lack of accuracy they still opened up a 0-6 to 0-2 lead by the 12th minute. Concannon’s work could have led to a goal from Paul Flaherty in the first minute, but a great save from Chris O’Connell denied Flaherty, although Conor Cooney landed the 65 for the opening score.
McManus points levelled matters in the second and sixth minutes, but Joseph