Galway Premier League 2007/08

[Gaillimh Al]

Sunday's Fixtures:

Galway Hibs v West Utd
Corrib Rangers v Kiltullagh
Renmore v Dynamo Blues
Salthill Devon v Mervue Utd
Colga v Athenry

Hibs will need to maintain their winning streak to keep pace with Athenry who have an "easy" tie away to bottom club Colga. West also have their eye on the title so fireworks can be expected as neither side shirks a physical battle.
Rangers must get back to winning ways against a dogged Kiltullagh outfit. Renmore face a Dynamo Blues side who haven't won in the league since the end of September. Salthill entertain Mervue in what is a must win tie for the home side. Mervue's hopes for siverware are in the cup competitions.

Predictions:

Hibs 3-1 West, Rangers 2-1 Kiltullagh, Renmore 1-1 Blues, Devon 2-2 Mervue, Colga 0-3 Athenry

[west awake]

i can't really see hibs beating west 3-1,i think it will be a close game and history favours west as they have won the last 4 meetings between the two clubs,all by the odd goal,including twice away from home in bohermore!i think west might just nick it again,they will be physically 2 strong,hibs are the better football side but west just don't know when they are beaten!
as for the other games athenry and rangers will coast there games and i predict 2 draws for the other 2 games!

i could be wrong al,but thats what i reckon!

[the hoops]

have athenry lost john mernagh?

heard he got a transfer alright think hes signing for pike rovers in limerick anyone comfirm this?

[Gaillimh Al]

Can't comment on whether he's signing for Pike but he seems to be gone from Athenry alright. They have a new Czech fella banging in the goals for them. Mernagh will be a loss though, especially to the Oscar Traynor team.

[Gaillimh Al]

Results:

Hibs 3-2 West
Rangers 2-1 Kiltullagh
Salthill 4-1 Mervue
Renmore 0-2 Blues
Colga ?-? Athenry

Great game between Hibs and West. Will have report up tomorrow. Surprisingly comfortable win for Salthill, who scored 3 unanswered in the 2nd half. Rangers keep in touch while Blues stay clear of relegation battle.

[west awake]

Results:

Hibs 3-2 West
Rangers 2-1 Kiltullagh
Salthill 4-1 Mervue
Renmore 0-2 Blues
Colga ?-? Athenry

Great game between Hibs and West. Will have report up tomorrow. Surprisingly comfortable win for Salthill, who scored 3 unanswered in the 2nd half. Rangers keep in touch while Blues stay clear of relegation battle.

i take it u were at the game so al if ur going putting up a report on the game?west 2-1 up with 10 minuted to go,then enter the ref(CHEAT)who decided to give hibs a peno,which was one of the worst decisions i've seen in about 20yrs of going watching junior soccer!hibs were a beaten team at that stage,it was a disgrace!whats the rule for kicking the ball away,i thinks it's a yellow card in the rulebook.hibs striker kicked the ball away at 2-2 was already booked,nothing happens then he goes on and scores the winner!

[Gaillimh Al]

That's certainly one way of looking at it. I'd be a more impartial judge. Hibs should have been at least 2 up at half time. Polish fella who got sent off didn't deserve the first yellow. West scored with their first shot on goal. Calling the ref a cheat is harsh; the ball hit his hand, some refs give it, some don't. A draw might have been a fair result, but Hibs did have the better of the chances. Stumpy had a chance to be a hero but fluffed it, then tried to win a peno. The ref, in my opinion, dealt sensibly with most of what went on and there was quite a bit. It's a thankless job and not one I would want.

A more important question to ask would be why did they play 5-3-2 from the start, a serious tactical error that gave Hibs an early advantage.

Colga 0-5 Athenry

Athenry continue to fire in the goals despite the defections of Johnny Mernagh and Ollie Keogh(Mervue Utd)

[Gaillimh Al]

Report on the Hibs-West game. Page 44

http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk//Pag...st/2007-11-19/

[Gaillimh Al]

Next Week's Games:-

FAI Junior Cup
Mervue v Corrib Rangers
St Patrick's v Salthill Devon
Dynamo Blues v West Utd

Premier League
Colga v Hibs
Kiltullagh v Athenry

In the FAI, the 3 "favourites" are all away from home. Rangers would be slight favourites going on form against Mervue. Mervue would love to get a crack at the national draw, it's just a pity they don't have the same calibre of team that won them so many trophies in the not too distant past. Salthill face a tricky trip to Caherlistrane to face 1st Division St Patricks. Although struggling in the league, they have already accounted for Hibs in round 2, so will be no pushover. West travel to Tuam on the back of a dissapointing League loss. Simon Murray is out of favour with the West mentors, but may be needed to provide more of a cutting edge.
Hibs and Athenry should continue their winning ways in the league. Kiltullagh could provide the sterner test, and were the last side to score in Athenry when the sides met last month.

Predictions:

Rangers 2-1 (aet), Salthill 3-0, Blues 1-0 -----Hibs 3-1, Athenry 2-0

[west awake]

That's certainly one way of looking at it. I'd be a more impartial judge. Hibs should have been at least 2 up at half time. Polish fella who got sent off didn't deserve the first yellow. West scored with their first shot on goal. Calling the ref a cheat is harsh; the ball hit his hand, some refs give it, some don't. A draw might have been a fair result, but Hibs did have the better of the chances. Stumpy had a chance to be a hero but fluffed it, then tried to win a peno. The ref, in my opinion, dealt sensibly with most of what went on and there was quite a bit. It's a thankless job and not one I would want.

A more important question to ask would be why did they play 5-3-2 from the start, a serious tactical error that gave Hibs an early advantage.

Colga 0-5 Athenry

Athenry continue to fire in the goals despite the defections of Johnny Mernagh and Ollie Keogh(Mervue Utd)

west played 3-5-2 on sunday and have played that way a number of times this season and last season,they did not play the 5-3-2 u were suggesting and as far as i know from talking to the management simon murray is not out of favour,he can't train at the moment due to work committments and as soon as he's back training i'm sure he will more than likely play from the start!

[Gaillimh Al]

5-3-2, 3-5-2...not much difference really. They had wing backs who defended first, then tried to get forward if they could. Whether they used it before is a moot point. It didn't work. True or False? I'll bow to your inside knowledge on the Simon Murray issue. What's the story with Gary Fitzgerald?

[west awake]

it's the same system they used to beat hibs the last 4 times they played,i think myself having watched the game the reason it didn't work is because,2 of the 3 central players for west had shockers,i'm reliably informed that the lad who got sent off for west was just about 2 be replaced,the main reason it didn't work the central trio didn't win enough possession to get the ball out wide and put hibs under pressure,the fitzy issue is a bit like simon's,where as simon can train an odd time fitzy cannot train at all at present,both are a huge loss in my opinion and would make a big difference to the team!

[Gaillimh Al]

Fair point if they used it before but I have seen them four times before this season and they hadn't done it. If you have the central midfielders for it then fine, but Thomas Caldwell and Miko are both wingers in my eyes, and Vinny O'Connor and John Egan are full-backs. It was like trying to fit square pegs in round holes.
They are a different side to when they last beat Hibs, when I think they relied a lot on set plays. Now they have lads like O'Malley, they should get it to his feet more. He caused them all sorts of bother in the 2nd half.
Gary Fitz is a big loss, and the suspensions from the sendings off will hit them hard as they don't have a big squad of players.

[west awake]

i'd agree with u al about miko,vinny and john egan,but caldwell is an out and out centre midfielder,the reason tom is playin out left all year is because there is only 2 left footers in the whole squad,and both of them are full backs.
they will struggle big time in tuam on sunday as the 2 subs who would probably replace the 2 suspended players are both away for the weekend.hopefully simon will get back in,i think he trained tuesday nite.i even hear the manager himself will be togging,he's played the last few weeks with the saturday team,they also have some ok b players they could draft up,but i think the smart money would maybe on the tuam side this week!

[Gaillimh Al]

Results:
Cup
Blues 2-3 West Utd
Mervue 4-0 Rangers
St Pats 1-1 Salthill (st pats won 5-4 on penos)
League
Kiltullagh 0-1 Athenry
Colga 2-2 Hibs

Mervue, fielding a number of "B" players who made an impact, trounced a very poor Rangers side. West came from behind to beat Blues, while Devon were knocked out by 1st Division strugglers St Patricks. Salthill had to rely on a late equaliser to bring it to extra-time, then the home side converted all their spot kicks while Devon missed one.

Athenry keep winning as Hibs slipped up with a draw away to Colga. Hibs still have 3 games in hand, but will now still be a point behind Athenry if they win them all.

[west awake]

wasn't at the west v dynamo blues game,i hear west played very well,they came from 1 down to go 3-1 up,blues got a late consolation goal with the last kick of the game,simon murray,tom caldwell and dara o neill got the goals!west were very understrenght through suspensions and players been away,they used 2 b team players as well as 1 c team player,who from what i hear aquitted themselves very well!

[Gaillimh Al]

Connacht Cup 3rd Round next Sunday:

Premier teams in action:

Corrib Rangers v Claregalway
Boyle Celtic V Hibs
West Utd v Glenhest Rovers
Kilkerrin Utd v Dynamo Blues
Castlerea Celtic v Renmore
City Utd v Colga
Strand Celtic v Salthill Devon
Kiltullagh v Snugboro Utd
Athenry v Roscommon Town
Swinford v Mervue Utd

- Rangers, even allowing for a dreadful performance past week, should beat Claregalway.
- Hibs face a very tricky assignment away to Boyle who are 3rd in the Sligo Super League.
- West face a Glenhest side who finished 2nd bottom of the Mayo Super League recently.
- Renmore will be big underdogs away to Castlerea Celtic, currently 2nd in the Roscommon Premier Division.
- Colga will find the going tough against City Utd, a mid table Sligo side who haven't lost a game since late August.
- Salthill also face a long trip to Sligo, but would be fancied to beat a struggling Strand Celtic outfit
- Home advantage could prove crucial for Kiltullagh as they take on Snugboro, who finished in the bottom half of the Mayo Super League.
- Athenry should prove too strong for 2nd Division Roscommon Town
- Mervue will also be favourites to overcome a Swinford side who finished third from bottom of the Mayo Premier Division.

Would expect at least 6 of the Premier teams to still be involved after this weekend, but in Cup fare anything is possible.

[historynut]

2006/07
Keep records on Junior/Intermediate leagues in Ireland. Would anyone be able to confirm 2006/07 League Champions/Runners up ? (believe it may be Athenry).
Have viewed league web-site and posted request to no avail, but would like to get league history and details of past champions/runners up, can anyone help ?
Even if only posting details of your own club's championships or runners-up.
Thanks

[Raheen]

2006/07
Keep records on Junior/Intermediate leagues in Ireland. Would anyone be able to confirm 2006/07 League Champions/Runners up ? (believe it may be Athenry).
Have viewed league web-site and posted request to no avail, but would like to get league history and details of past champions/runners up, can anyone help ?
Even if only posting details of your own club's championships or runners-up.
Thanks

It went to the wire with any one of three teams in with a shout. Athenry beat Salthill 3-1 on the final day to take the league trophy for the first time.

Champions - Athenry
Runners Up - Salthill ahead of Mervue?

[historynut]

Thanks Raheen.
Would anyone know when first club(apart from NUIG) was formed in Galway ?
Note from recently posted web-sites Bohs,Hibs and Utd (pev Rovers) all date from late 30's early 40's. Yet when Connaught FA formed late 20's a Galway team was one of first winners of Connaught Cup (sorry first), interested to hear replies.