Galway outmuscle St Pat's as Kenny's side continue to struggle for consistency
Galway United 3
St Patrick's Athletic 1
UP BY THE Terryland Waterworks, St Patrick's Athletic stuttering season plumbed new depths as they were overrun in the early running by a sharper, hungrier Galway United.
The home team dominated physically, territorially and aerially and dictated the terms early. They also benefited from two early lapses in the first 11 minutes.
In the third minute, Evan Watts launched an 80-yard kick-out. Ed McCarthy had time to control on the edge of the box, turn, shoot and score before Joe Redmond or Tom Grivosti could muster a response.
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Galway United fans. Evan Logan / INPHO Evan Logan / INPHO / INPHO
It was a deflating start. After being outthought, the visitors were then outfought. A second error compounded the problems.
Joseph Anang was a long way out when he smashed a clearance off David Hurley. The Corkonian picked it up in his own half on the right and curled beautifully into an empty net.
After weathering some more nervy moments, Pat's started to play some ball after a half an hour. Simon Power had one back after some beautiful interplay. The basics deserted them again shortly after, when Rob Slevin glanced in a header from a corner largely unopposed.
It was a wild first, but a more sedate second. The reduction in tempo suited the visitors who showed the superiority of their passing after the turnaround.
Power was direct on the left and caused plenty of problems. Jamie Lennon, who carried the fight in midfield, was close from outside the box.
John Caulfield.
Sean Hoare made a difference, being combative against Moses Dyer and then Malcolm Shaw. Melia was busy and could have had a penalty as the game entered the final quarter.
Watts was brilliant in the final quarter, making two top saves from Brandon Kavanagh and Hoare. Either effort could have made things awkward. As it happened, United finished strongly, finishing a famous night for them in style.
Galway United: Watts; Esua, Buckley, Slevin, Cunningham (Burns 81); Hurley (McCormack 90), Borden (Walsh 90), Byrne, Hickey, McCarthy (Brouder 90); Dyer (Shaw 70)
St Patrick's Athletic: Anang; Sjoberg (Kavanagh 70), Redmond, Grivosti (Hoare 45),
McLelland; Elbouzedi, Lennon, Baggley (Carty 82), Power; Melia, Keena (Forrester 70)
Ref: R Harvey
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The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
Tyrone take major step, dominant Donegal, Monaghan's second-half struggles
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The 42
7 hours ago
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'It's like little Ireland here in Sydney, Irish accents everywhere'
THE BEAUTIFUL BEACHSIDE suburb of Coogee in Sydney is where Mike Catt now calls home. With its glorious sunshine, white sand beach, and crystal-clear waters, it might seem like a world away, but Catt is happy that there are many reminders of Dublin even in Coogee. Having spent five enjoyable, successful seasons working as an assistant coach with Andy Farrell's Ireland, Catt enjoys hearing from the many Irish expats around the place. 'It's like little Ireland here, Irish accents everywhere,' he says. Catt is now attack coach for the Waratahs, who face Farrell's Lions in Sydney next Saturday. There are many familiar faces in the Lions' ranks. Farrell has four of his Ireland assistants with him, a host of backroom staff, and 16 Irish players. Catt is looking forward to catching up. He shares great memories with them, including their 2023 Grand Slam, 2024 Six Nations title, and 2022 series success in New Zealand. Catt still has a strong sense of 'what if' about the 2023 World Cup. 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Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO The last few years have been fairly tumultuous for the Tahs and they are in the process of a rebuild in their squad and staff, all while playing in the 'pretty brutal competition' that is Super Rugby Pacific. Catt loves working hands-on with players every day, so different to the on-off nature of international coaching windows. One of the biggest differences he has seen between Irish players and their Aussie counterparts is how obsessed they are with rugby. He recounts how many Irish players would watch Super Rugby, Top 14, and anything else they could in their spare time. There are a few union nerds in the Waratahs squad too, but many others tune into rugby league, Aussie rules, and other sports when they're away from the club's training base. Catt explains that there are lots of Australian players who struggle with kicking technique and strategy because they simply don't kick the ball much when they're growing up. 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Same with the Waratahs, we need to start winning for us to get bums on seats and inspire kids at a younger age to start loving the game again.' Catt explains how he went to watch his son play in the New South Wales U14 state championships a few weeks ago and was blown away. 'I couldn't believe what I was watching, the talent was phenomenal and you had 115kg kids who are 14,' says Catt. 'The athleticism and skillset was mind-blowing and the question was, 'Where do they all go?' A lot of them get snapped up by the NRL because they're promised the financial reward is much earlier than in union. That's just where we're at and changing that is exceptionally hard. So the Wallabies have to be successful, the Waratahs have to start winning for us to change that momentum.' Catt is enjoying his new challenge Down Under. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Australian rugby did manage to get a young NRL star back across to union in time for this Lions series. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii didn't come cheap but he has adapted impressively so far, shining for the Wallabies last autumn and for the Tahs this year in Super Rugby. Suaalii has overcome a fractured jaw to return to fitness ahead of the Lions series and Catt says the Lions and the rest of the rugby world will have to watch out. 'He is gonna be exceptional,' says Catt. 'First and foremost, he's just an incredible athlete. Like freakishly, Israel Folau-type. He's 21 years old, he hasn't played a tonne of rugby union, but his professionalism is through the roof. 'He's going to have a few bumpy roads, just part of the journey, but he's come in and he's shown a lot of senior players, especially at the Waratahs, what it actually means to really want something. 'I think the next two to three years for Joseph Suaalii is very special. Australian rugby needs guys like Joseph Suaalii.' Suaalii mainly played at fullback for the Waratahs this year, although Catt reckons Joe Schmidt may use him at outside centre for the Wallabies. And he cites Waratahs wing Max Jorgensen, who is also in Schmidt's squad, as 'unbelievably good' as an athlete and in his feel for the game. Jorgensen is one to watch 'very, very closely,' according to Catt. While those stars are in Wallabies camp preparing for the Lions, the rest of the Waratahs are working hard for Saturday's huge occasion against Farrell's tourists. Catt was in Australia with the Lions as a player in 2001, so he knows exactly how special all of this will be. 'It's huge. It only comes around once every 12 years. So they're very, very fortunate to get this opportunity. And where we are as a squad, a lot of our guys are young, they're going to get an experience playing against the best. 'Not all of them will play for the Wallabies, so for them to do it in front of a packed-out stadium is huge. We haven't had that this year. It's a brilliant challenge.' The Waratahs will undoubtedly be exceptionally well-briefed about what to expect from an Andy Farrell team.
The 42
7 hours ago
- The 42
'I still come into every single camp thinking this will be the one I break through'
PLAYING IN GEORGIA will be a new experience for Nick Timoney but the Ulster flanker has long held a soft spot for Georgian rugby. 'I have hours of Mamuka Gorgodze footage watched from when I was a kid,' explains Timoney, speaking during a media day at Ireland's pre-tour training camp in Abbotstown. 'I used to watch a highlight video of his pretty much every week. I'm not like massively familiar with the place and stuff, but Georgian rugby, we all know what it's about. They're big, they're physical, they're passionate, and you're not going to get an easy game against them.' It's not hard to see why Timoney found an interest in the bruising Gorgodze, who played for Montpellier and Toulon. 'Just back in the day when you're a kid, as you would with loads of different rugby players that were in your position and you kind of looked up to, you'd look up some of their clips, their highlights, but there was a 10-minute compilation video of Mamuka Gorgodze playing a lot of European countries for Georgia. There's loads of clips from them playing Poland and Russia and Spain and stuff. So I used to watch that a bit when I was younger. He was a bit of a tank.' Gorgodze wasn't the only player on repeat on Timoney's YouTube. 'I used to like the Chabal one, I mean the stereotypical ones you'd think of, back rows back whenever I was a teenager. I used to love David Wallace, the Sean O'Briens of this world, Ferris back in the day. I was into all my highlight clips when Rugbydump was a website that was going round back in the day, 'Try-savers and rib-breakers 11′ was my favorite one.' Those compilations were the inspiration around the time Timoney was pushing through as a promising young rugby player at Blackrock. In 2014 Timoney counted Caelan Doris, Joey Carbery, Hugo Keenan, Jeremy Loughman and Conor Oliver among his teammates as he captained Blackrock to Leinster Senior Cup success. Advertisement Timoney lifts the Leinster Schools Senior Cup in 2014. Colm O'Neill / INPHO Colm O'Neill / INPHO / INPHO Then some bumps in the road. Although selected for the Ireland U20s, Timoney didn't get a place in the Leinster Academy. Kieran Campbell, academy manager at Ulster, picked up the phone and Timoney was heading north. 'The first couple years were tough, I didn't really feel like I was getting much purchase and towards the end of my second year, which was going to be my last on the two-year academy deal, and I hadn't gotten a game and hadn't gotten really that close. 'I remember playing an AIL game at Queens away to Corinthians, I think, and we got absolutely hammered. They were bottom in the league. This was 2A and I was sort of thinking there's maybe five, six weeks left in the season. 'I hadn't heard anything about the following season, thought it was maybe going to come to an end at that stage, but somewhat randomly got a chance off the bench then the following week against Cardiff and got another couple chances and ended up managing to stick around for a few years. 'I wouldn't say the first two years were a resounding success, but just about got myself kept on and just about got a chance then in the end, and I suppose then when you're featuring week in, week out…' Now his value to Ulster is beyond any doubt, with the 29-year-old capped over 150 times for the province. Ireland has been a more testing battle, with Timoney vying for action in one of the most competitive areas of the squad. He won his first Test cap four summers ago but has added just two further appearances since, the most recent of which came against Fiji in November 2022. Even during spells when he's been in good form, there have been times when Timoney hasn't been able to even make the wider squad. 'I'd be lying if I said there wasn't times where I was frustrated, but I certainly have had times where I feel like I'm incredibly close to it, and I've felt like if I had a chance, I would've taken it and run with it. 'I still feel that way, but at the same time, you get to every single Test match and it's a Six Nations game, and Irish Rugby's not in the business of just dishing out caps because you've had a good game. Like he's still picking the best four lads for the squad, and if those lads stay fit and are playing well the whole time, I mean that's just the way it goes. Obviously it's tough in my position, but that's part of it.' Timoney speaking to the media in Abbotstown. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Cap number four should arrive over the next fortnight, with the Ireland coaches hoping to hand every squad member gametime across the Tests with Georgia and Portugal. The long wait between caps has only heightened his desire to make the most of such opportunities. 'It can be tough because, being a realist, you come into a lot of camps and you know that you're not necessarily top of the pecking order. The same way that all the other lads are desperate to play, and then the game against England is opening the Six Nations or something like that, and it's still kills you inside a little bit every time you're not announced and you're not in the team. 'But ultimately, if you really value playing for Ireland enough, then there's no choice but to put more emphasis on getting better and working harder. So that's just what I try to do.' As Timoney sees it, this window is not just a fly-by opportunity to get back in the green jersey. The Ulster player still holds ambitions of making the Test arena a more regular part of his life. Timoney debuted for Ireland in 2021. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO 'There's examples of it all over. There's the Deon Fouries of the world who are uncapped to 35 and captain their team in a World Cup final. Maybe that's a bit of an extreme example, but the way it is in Irish rugby the coaches are good enough and they value progression and what they see in front of you. It's not a case of them making their mind up about you and deciding that you're not the one when you're 25, 26, 27, 29 hopefully. If you're playing well enough, they'll pick you. 'The belief is still there. I still come into every single camp thinking this will be the one I break through and I'll be into it properly then. That's been slower obviously than I would've liked, but I still keep backing myself and believing I'm going to still keep trying to get better. 'As soon as I think that I've peaked and I'm down the other side of it, then maybe I'll lose a bit of hope. But I feel like I still have loads of improvements to make and I still feel like I'm feeling good and have the same appetite for it.'
