Talk Sport - 12aug2024

There's a miracle coming up this time You were listening to Cateenla Ní Gaeilfearaig on Glór at Béalgaidh. Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo one there for Grainne Wales which means that they retain their intermediate league status for another year at least. Last year they had to take out St. Brendan's in the same match and they've managed to do it again this year against Carla Strand. The top four teams of course avoid those relegation playoffs it's for the bottom four teams. So Carla Strand relegated to Division 3 and Grainne Wales remain in Division 2. The other relegation final and that has yet to be played it's Barna against St. James's and the winner of that match will play Grainne Wales in this year's Division 2 League Shield final. But really that's just there's nothing really at stake in that match it's the two Shield semi-finals which are effectively relegation finals which are the big ones. So huge relief in the Grainne Wales camp there a couple of weeks ago in Letterfrack at the at the final whistle and they can look forward to playing intermediate teams again next year in league. Cone Cup West Division 1 final. Saltile Nakarra 4-16 Grainne Wales a four points and it was really a rude awakening for Grainne Wales coming off their success against Carla Strand. Senior B meets Junior A and it was all there to see on the night. Saltile just the superior footballing force by some margin on the night. Grainne Wales conversion rates coming in at only 25% they probably should have come out of the game with 3-10 having said that Saltile Nakarra could easily have scored up on around 9-17. Two years ago these two teams met in the County Division 3 League final in Clifton a match which Grainne Wales won by four points to put them up to Intermediate League. But in the intervening two years Saltile Nakarra have won the All-Ireland Junior Championship then went straight up in their first year in Intermediate last year and won the County Intermediate Championship and they really are on the crest of a wave at the moment. A major learning curve for Grainne Wales ahead of their upcoming Junior A Championship matches against Clonborough and Carla Strand in early September. It was a different story for Grainne Wales B however two days later Conn Cup West Division 4 Cup final Napiershi 3-7 Grainne Wales B 2-13 and Grainne Wales coming from five points down there early in that match to lead by four at halftime but then their neighbours Napiershi showed tremendous resilience in the second half got two key goals just at the right time and with eight minutes to go the sides were deadlocked but it fell to Grainne Wales to finish the stronger with a brace of points there from Grace Keneally whose eye was really in on the night and also Isabel Leamy there knocking over the insurance point and Grainne Wales captain Lauren Keneally got to take the cup with her back to Roundstone and joyous scenes at the end and that's the first triumph for Grainne Wales B adult team in many many years. Moving on to Junior E Championship it commenced the weekend gone by and Grainne Wales B are in that championship and they were supposed to be playing a home match against Illinoran but Illinoran unable to field and Grainne Wales their winners of their opening match by walkover which is far from ideal. The other match in that section was Gael N'Goliova 9-13 Lough Rea 3-2 and next Saturday this coming Saturday at 7 p.m. in South Park Gael N'Goliova will play Grainne Wales in round two of the Junior E Championship. A question next and thanks to Mary Madden for sending in the results of the Cashel show which was held recently. Yearling filly class first Joe McCann Bally Keneally second Bernard Keneally Murphy third Conor Coyne Cashel. Yearling Colts class the winner Pádraig Annan from Inveran. Two-year-old filly class first Michael Mullan Murphy second Raymond Keneally Aris Lannan and third Martin Nocton Ross Muck. The two to three year old filly class the winner was Ciarán McGrath from Clare Galway Mike Kane Lough Rea was runner-up and Pádraig Annan from Inveran was third. Three-year-old filly first Robert Knee Canal Stage he was the overall winner. The junior champion was Ciarán McGrath from Clare Galway. The reserve junior went to Joe McCann Bally Keneally. In the young handler class it was first Conor Dunn second Bernard O'Kaney from Murphy and third Eva Foley Kerner. The four to six year old mare class the winner was Avian Joyce from Bally Keneally. The seven to twelve year old mare with foal class was won by Joe McCann Bally Keneally second Colin Keneally Letter Dice and third Conor Dunn Cashel. The overall winner of the seven to twelve year old mare without foal class was Conor Dunn from Cashel. In the thirteen year old mare and over the winner was Brian Keaney Murphy second Conor Coyne Cashel and third Clemerson Braga Letcher Moore. In the filly foal class the winner was Brian Keaney Murphy second Clemerson Braga Letcher Moore. The colt foal class was won by Joe McCann Bally Keneally second Colin Keneally Letter Dice third Conor Coyne Cashel. And the champion foal went to Joe McCann Bally Keneally with reserve going to Brian Keneally from Murphy. So thanks again there to Mary for sending those results. Actually there's four more classes here I'll just run with this on the other side of the page apologies. The mare with foal at foot class winner was Joe McCann Bally Keneally runner-up Conor Coyne Cashel. Confined to Cashel parish class first Conor Coyne Cashel second Conor Dunn Cashel and third Colin Joyce Cashel. The stallion class winner was Eamon Burke from Castlegar Galway second Garoge Larkin Ballyan Houn and third Sean Fowlan Inveran. The overall champion of the Cashel show was Eamon Burke from Castlegar Galway with reserve champion going to Joe McCann. Golf next starting with members Stableford Wednesday the 17th of July last. Men's division one first Alan Mulholland 42 points second Tom J O'Reilly 40 points. Gross winner Finlay Ewell 30 points. Division two winner Tom Kearney 42 points runner-up John O'Sullivan 38 points. Ladies winner Eleanor McDonagh 38 points second Clare O'Grady 35 points. Gross went to Margaret Shaw 19 points and Sarah Murray was third on 35 points. Members Stableford Sunday the 21st of July winner Pat O'Holloran in men's division one it was a Stableford competition second Chris Shanahan 39 points. Gross went to JP McDowell on 29 points gross. Division two winner was Dan Bolger on 40 points and runner-up was Tony Lyons on 40 points. Division three winner was Jack Cosgrove on 44 points second Nye Lydon on 35 points. Ladies winner was Mary Daly on 38 points and Kit was second on 38 points. The gross went to Noreen O'Neill on 27 points. Clodagh Booth was third on 38 points and Debbie Ruddy was fourth on 37 points. Members Stableford Wednesday the 24th of July men's winner was Ciarán Murphy on 35 points runner-up Paul Daly 34 points and the ladies overall winner there was Bernadette Costlow on 35 points. John G Sweeney captains prize the 28th of July men's 27 hole stroke first Gareth O'Farrell 100 net second Nyle King 100 net and gross went to Paul Daly on 114 gross. Third was Michael Dolly on 102 net fourth John Gleeson 103 net fifth Paul McKnight 103 net. Past captains Chris Shanahan 71 net best 18 hole went to Eugene O'Byrne on 66 net. Ladies nine hole Stableford also on the 28th of July first Clina O'Neill 22 points second Gráinne O'Malley 18 points gross went to Noreen O'Neill on 13 points. Bernie O'Neill was third on 18 points and fourth went to Margaret Lavelle on 18 points. Monday the 5th of August the bank holiday four-person scramble first Callum Keneally, Lurkon Gay, Tiermann Matts and Finn Leigh Yule they were the winning team. The runners-up team comprised Connor Lennon, Connor Diggan, Dennis Wickstone and Connor Kelly on 56 net and in third place on 58 net were the team comprising Enda Cafferkey, Declan Kennedy, David Cafferkey and Owen Cafferkey. On to last Wednesday the 7th of August men's division one Stableford competition first Martin Tarhegan 34 points second Edward Cronally 34 points the gross went to David Varian and on 24 points gross. In division two the winner was Frank McGrath on 41 points and Niall Doyle was second there on 39 points. The ladies competition winner was Mary Egan on 37 points second Breach McCarthy 36 points the gross went to Margaret Lavelle on 17 points third was Judith Kelly on 35 points and Julie Donlan was fourth there on 33 points. Results of an open parenting child stroke this was Saturday last the 10th of August first Bobby O'Brien and Matthew O'Brien 61 net. Runners-up Sarah Murray and Dylan Murray 64 net and in third there David J Frame and Imogen Frame on 65 net. And yesterday Sunday the 11th of August we had a member Stableford competition and the men's overall winner was Eddie Foyle on 44 points. Division one first Sean Shawyer 40 points second Jim Mulcair 36 points. Division two first David Duffy 40 points second Connor Macdonald 40 points. Division three first Michael Cairns senior on 39 points and second was James DeCoursey on 36 points. The ladies winner was Sinead Foyle on 38 points second Deirdre Murphy 37 points gross went to Laura Daly on 21 points third Geraldine Lally on 37 points and fourth Ciara Mannion on 37 points. So thanks very much there to Connemara Golf Club for sending on all those results. And I'll wrap up tonight with the GAA starting with the primary junior championship West round two on Kararua 2-9 for the Gryffindor Oak 1-7. Rynvale 1-10 Clomber 1-9. A Lazarus like second half comeback there from Rynvale who were six points in arrears at the interval keeps them in the championship. Clomber now facing you know a mammoth task having lost their opening match at home to Cairnacastle and they will have to beat for the Gryffindor Oak and strong favourites this year on Kararua to entertain any chance of progression. West under 17 seed championship Killannan 6-11 Clifton 11 points. Cairnacastle on the pier sheet 3-15 Clomber 1-5. Niamh Amalachamore 3-13 Cairnacastle on the pier sheet 2-16 a draw. Clifton 1-12 on Spidjale 2-13. Under 15 Division 3B championship semi-final Northern Gales 5-9. Cairnacastle on the pier sheet 3-8. Under 15 Division 3A championship quarter-final Kilkern Clomber 6-7 Clifton 3-14. Clifton just losing out there in that one. Under 15 Division 4A championship semi-final a good win for Clomber against Lough Rea on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-2. And finally under 15 Division 4B championship semi-final. Rynvald scoring six goals and two points but it wasn't enough against a rampant Curra Finn team who scored 8-13 on the night. And GF fixtures and it's all about Pearce Stadium this week tomorrow Tuesday August the 13th. Under 15 Division 3B championship shield semi-final St. Michael's against Cairnacastle on the pier sheet at 7.30 in Pearce Stadium. And then on Wednesday coming the 14th of August it's the turn of Rynvald's under-15 team. They are in a Division 4B championship shield final against Cartoon Shamrocks. So a big week for the footballers of Cairnacastle and Rynvald at under 15 level to get to run out on the hallowed turf I suppose of Pearce Stadium. This coming Thursday August the 15th. Under 17 C West championship Clonburh versus Killannan at 7 p.m. in Clonburh. On Friday next the 16th of August primary junior championship West. A huge match on the plantation Cairnacastle against Rynvald at 7 p.m. Both teams will feel that it's a must win for them. And then Saturday coming August the 17th big day for Ní Fhagin an Clachán at the commencement of the county intermediate championship for 2024. Clifton are in group one and their opening match is in the prairie at 2 p.m. against St. Brendan's. And finally next Sunday the 18th of August under 17 C championship West at 2 p.m. in Clifton. It's Clifton and I Cairnacastle in the Pearcy. That's my lot for this week. A big thanks to Pat here and Technical for all his help. We'll talk to you in a week's time. Westport based chiropodist Martin McNally will be doing home visits in the Connemara area on Thursday the 15th of August. If you would like to make an appointment please call him on 087 222 6260. Is feidir le drogi áineas a dulle bhaidh mairt ar bal i éigsileach, ach curinn sidh ar fada steffart agus tuaig tuamhaint. Is feidir le rhínst drogi tú bhfuil líom, rudda ágainn go bhfuil bhfuil an go níonat tú bach túmhain. Curinn drogi eile phaire agus tí féridh am ros diórleach, bhfuil tuaig tuamhaint ros go fígis. Ma bhfuil tuaig tuamhaint fícheannach ar drogi is feidir leis túse, duchaid pásioneirí agus díoní eile ar y múthair achor a míle. Na túmhainn fícheannach ar drogi go bhfuil. O nuid oras ym mhafáilteacht ar bhfuil ide. Túir cúrtir rsa.ie Calling all local parents, let your kids discover the outdoors at Killary Adventures Multi-Activity Day Camp this August 19th. Join us for four days of thrilling land and water activities designed for all ages at a special discounted rate. It's the perfect way to keep the kids entertained this summer. Book your spot today at killaryadventure.com or call 095 434 11. Adventure awaits right in your backyard with Killary Adventure Company. In association with Connemara West presents Session, evenings of Irish traditional music, song and dance at the Chach Ceol in Tully, Rinnevale. It takes place on Tuesdays at 9 o'clock p.m. from the 9th of July to the 20th of August. Doors open at 8.30 p.m., adults 15 euros, children under 12, 7 euros. Inquiries can be made to 087 344 3807. That's the Session, celebrating 50 years of Session in Rinnevale in 2024. Bounce Back Recycling can collect old mattresses and furniture direct from your address. Recycled materials are recovered and diverted from landfill for a more environmentally friendly option. So go green and get in touch today. Collections across Connemara every Friday. Bookings are subject to availability. To get a quote or make a booking call 091 434 11. To get a quote or make a booking call 091 7608 77. See bouncebackrecycling.ie or message bouncebackrecycling on Facebook. Joyce's Hardware Recess, located behind Joyce's Grocery. Specializing in animal feed, fuel supplies and all your hardware needs. Competitive prices and bulk feed. Joyce's will deliver to all areas of Connemara. Contact Brian on 095 347 50 or 087 268 6946. West Coast Insulation, your local cavity wall and attic insulation specialists. Walls pumped with Kingspan Platinum Eco-Bead. We also supply and fit blown rock wool and mineral wool in attics. Grant of up to 3,250 euro available. For more information or for a free quotation call West Coast Insulation on 087 142 1414. Or visit our website on www.myinstallation.ie. www.myinstallation.ie Clifton Supply Centre, Galway Road, Clifton. Provide building supplies, plumbing and heating supplies, fuel merchants, DIY and general hardware. Contact the Clifton Supply Centre on 095 214 76. www.myinstallation.ie When I got up this morning the house was really freezing. I checked the oil tank, it was empty, that must be the reason. So I called up Sweeney Oil, a truly local company. And took my order for some oil and delivered it straight to me. Sweeney Oil are at your service, friendly, helpful and they care. There are many easy ways to pay, now that's what I call fair. They deliver oil to homes all over Galway and Surround. And Sweeney Oil's prices are the very best around. For the best value home heating oil in Galway, call Sweeney Oil today on 1800 555 999. Or visit www.sweeneyoil.ie Sweeney Oil, the warmer way to heat your home. Hello, good evening, welcome listeners to Talk Sport on this Monday evening. So it's still a very busy time in sport. We've had the culmination of the two weeks of the Olympic Games in Paris. And very successful Olympic Games it has been for Ireland. I'm sure a lot of people will miss it over the next few weeks. The various sports I suppose that was going on right throughout the day. Across many different disciplines. But seven medals in all for Ireland. And the closing ceremony took place last night. Very spectacular closing ceremony. And earlier on today the Olympic athletes representing Ireland were giving a great welcome in Dublin there. A lot of the medals on show but of course there was a lot of good performances by people who didn't medal as well. But they certainly got a great welcome there today. So seven medals I think the record haul for Ireland in an Olympic Games. And I'm sure the training now will start for the next Games. And all of the hopefully the money and the funding that will go into it for Los Angeles in 2028. So hopefully we will touch on some of the main events of the Athletics and the Olympics over the course of the next hour or so in our interviews. And also just the other highlight of the weekend. It was a sad loss in the Camogie All-Ireland Final for Galway. Went down to Cork by one goal. A bit of controversy there. But unfortunately it's three All-Irelands in a row that Galway have lost in the three weeks in the men's football, the ladies football and now the Camogie. Very good performance by them. Went down, as I said, a little bit of controversy with the Cork goal. But there's no doubt that Cork are a very good team. In the end I think it was 116 to 16 points. And they sadly lose out in the third of the three All-Irelands there for Galway. So as well as that, the Premiership will be up and running next weekend. It's back to that time of year. We're well into August. And the Charity Shields Final, Manchester City overcame Manchester United on penalties after a very tight match. Late goals there. They secured a one-all draw before winning it 7-6 on penalties. There's a lot of activity going on in the transfer market as well. And it will be interesting to see how that goes on over the next few weeks. Just to keep an eye on local soccer, Galway United had a one-all draw at home against St. Patrick's Athletic yesterday. So they're still continuing their efforts to get into European football. There's a very tight affair there at the top of the league and for the European minor placing. So a one-all draw and Galway United ladies team are in action at the weekend. And the All-Ireland Cup will be taking on Seamuck Rovers. So a very good season all round for Galway United men's and women's team. I suppose those are the main sporting headlines. There will be a lot of action going on as well in the various clubs I suppose. Now you'll have the Championship starting up. A lot of the league games ongoing in the last while. But you have the breakdown and the likes of Nia Fahey in Clifton there. Karen O'Cashill, Napier, Sheave and Vile. All of the local clubs will be in Championship action. And we will keep an eye across that. The rugby season will be up and running as well. And Connemara Rugby Club there I'm sure will be back at training. And hopefully getting good results over the course of the next season. And there's a lot of good sporting action going on in secondary schools called Top of MacDowra and Carna. And also in Clifton Community School there as well. Lots of different sports across as well. Football, soccer, rugby as well. So we'll keep you updated on that. And just as well to say there was a very nice day out there in the facilities down in Beacon in Clare Morris. Or down near Knockin in County Mayo there. Where the facilities are wonderful there with the dome and that. And there was a development squad for the Connacht Under-13 girls taking place there last Saturday. So representatives there from Karen O'Cashill, Napier, Sheave and Cronya Wales and all of the local clubs right around Galway. A good day out. Lots of benefit I think for the kids and all who enjoyed it and the weather was great. Now I'm joined online by Dominic Lynch from Connemara Golfing. You're welcome Dominic. Good evening Bernard, how are you? Good, thank you. So you're just going to bring us up to date. I know a lot's happening there this time of year. Busy time for you Dominic. And since you have activity you have a few results for us I suppose. I do indeed. Yeah, we've had a very busy few weeks. We had a captain's prize. Gerard Farrell won it with a score of 100 net after 27 holes. A fantastic night. It was had by all. Great music and entertainment. By the great DJ Fiddler. Yeah, it was a good time. Busy for the Bank Holiday weekend. We're kind of winding down this weekend now. It was kind of the last of the busy weekends. So we had our Parent and Child competition on Saturday. The winners were Bobby and Matthew O'Brien playing of 21 on 61 net. Second place was Sarah and Dylan Murray of 36 with 64 net. And third place was last year's winners David and Imogen Frayne with 27 of 65 net with a bed of 9. Then yesterday we had a member's day for it. The overall winner with a score of 44 points was Eddie Foyle playing of 23. In Division 1, which is handicapped up to 14.8, the winner was Sean Showyer of 13 with 40 points. Jim O'Kerrigan was second with 36 points playing of 10. Division 2 was 14.9 to 19.6. The winner was David Duffy of 22 with 40 points with a bed of 9. And Colin McDonnell came second of 21 with 40 points. Division 3 was handicapped from 18.7 to 56. The winner was Michael Kearns Sr. playing of 25 with 39 points. James D'Courcy came second of 24 with 36 points. In the Ladies, another Foyle came to the fore. We have a member's day for it on Wednesday. And then we have a member's competition on Sunday also. Busy time, we have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a press conference on Sunday. We have a member's competition on Sunday also. Busy time, we have a pro-am coming up on the 31st and 1st. So that's our annual pro-am. That's Saturday and Sunday. That's Saturday in August, the first Sunday in September. And then the following week we have our September Open Week. So it's still a go back here in the Velcourse. Yeah, and I know you had the Festival of the Sea. You had an event going on there as well. Yeah, we had a house crammer back here on Friday. And I just have a few of those in the first place. I'll just give a quick mention of each of them. There was Colin Laffey, Daniel Dolan, Aidan Coughlin. I think him out on top of that. In second place, Tom Hickey, Laurence O'Toole, Kenneth De Lappe. And in third place, Jim Stockpile, John Dolan, and Patria MacDonald. And then I think they have an Ears to Pin, which is a nice one. Alan De Lappe on that, and Longest Drive. Colin Laffey, and well done to all of the Festival of the Sea. Committee up there. No, just quickly, because I know we're tight on time here. But there was the recent Home Internationals. And I know that Luke O'Neill, I think, was part of that. Have you any update on that? Yeah, the Irish team actually won the event. And they bet England, Scotland, and Wales. Luke was key part of it. He played. Several of them, I think, won both their double pairing matches. And Luke drew and won two, I think. But the key one that he won was the last match against England. And I think he was all tied. And he ends up winning it one up. But that was the turning point for Ireland. Because they were down in the two matches behind him. But after Luke O'Neill hit, the lads turned it around. And they actually managed to win the trophy. It was a fantastic achievement. Yeah, a wonderful achievement to do that. And Luke playing a key role in it again. So his star is on the rise. And well done to all involved in that Irish team there for the Home Internationals. So I'm sure he'll get a great return. I don't know where he's based at the moment. He's just on the way home now at the moment. But he's heading off again next week. I think he's staying in the Irish. I'm sure he'll be in until the weekend. Okay, so busy time all round. He's actually the first Connemara player to make the senior panel. Excellent, really. That's amazing. He's a five at junior level. And he's still quite young as we know. That's great, Dominic. And we're getting up against the time a little bit here. But thanks for joining us. We hope maybe to join you again next week. As I said, a busy time, but plenty of up-and-coming competition there. So hopefully it'll all go well for you. And hopefully, as I said, the weather might be a bit of an improvement over the next. We've got the thunder and lightning over us now. And hopefully it might clear the skies and we might get a bit of breeze. But if we get a bit of sunshine, we'll take it. So, listen, thanks for joining us, Dominic. And we'll chat to you maybe next week again. No problem, Bernard. And just to let you know, I'm talking to Zohreh Naeem at this moment, actually. Okay. He's playing the Emirates Amateur Championship. So best of luck to her. Okay, and we'll see how the results go there. And we'll update in the future broadcast on how all those local players and representatives from the area are doing. Thanks for that again, Dominic. And we'll chat to you soon. No problem, Bernard. Thanks again. Okay, good evening. That's Dominic Lynch from Connemara Golf Links there. The line was a little bit dodgy there, but we managed to get through it, hopefully. And again, well done to Luke O'Neill and the Irish win there in the Home Internationals. Okay, so we're going to have our main interview of the evening. And it's the one and only Francie Foley there from Clifton. You're welcome, Francie. Oh, yes. Nice evening. It is indeed. And sporting-wise, Francie, obviously, we've had three weeks of All-Ireland final activity for Galway. And sadly, three runners-up positions. Now, we touched, obviously, on the football and all of that. But since we had the break last week, we had the ladies in action against Kerry in the final there. Now, that was a comprehensive enough win in the end, 314 to 11 points. And Kerry undoubtedly were the champions, and especially having lost maybe in previous finals as well, sadly, as well as yesterday. And slightly more competitive, definitely a more competitive match, and a bit of controversy as well with Galway losing to Camogie. We'll just touch on the ladies. I'm sure you were watching it. But Kerry have been coming. We know they're strong in the men, but they're certainly strong in the women now as well. Well, I watched all the games now, and now you refer to the Kerry-Galway one. But, you know, people might realize, but people do, that it was kind of a first division against a second division, Kerry being the fourth division, because I think our team were relegated before the summer season started. They were relegated. But I didn't expect the hammering we got. I expected a tough match and maybe a close finish, but Kerry, I mean, it wasn't a finish, because it was a kind of a landslide in the end. I think they won by 12 points or something like that. But I'm not blaming them, because God loves a trier, and they did us proud to get to the final, beating Dublin and beating Cork as well. So, they were out of their depth in the second half, really. Now, having said that again, you know, I think the right word is this malaise that seems to be following Galway-Hodland-Galway football. They don't have the goalposts there. And even against Kerry, when they did get chances, they blew a lot of them. But I'm not criticizing them. I'm admiring them, because they stayed their right lane. It was a bit embarrassing for Galway, because they had done the heavy work. They had beaten Dublin and beaten Cork, I think. And I expected a little better, but the thing is, I wasn't shocked. But it was Division 1 against Division 2, and that outcome was predictable anyway. There were a lot of bad misses. Now, if Galway had just taken their chances, it would have been, I suppose, keeping the confidence up and the scoreboard taking over. And they certainly were guilty of some bad misses in the first half. And, of course, it was nearly over at half-time. But you can imagine the confidence that goes a little bit from teams if they miss what we would call relatively easy chances. And I'm sure on an all-Ireland day in Croke Park, nothing is ever as easy as we might think it is looking on the TV screens. In another way of looking at it, I suppose they might be a young team, a coming team. And there's hope Galway Football is in a decent place, both men's and women's. And we know the club team, Kilkaren Clonborne, winning all-Ireland club titles as well. So there's a good foundation there for the team going forward. But the whole thing yesterday, Ben, and you said there at your introduction that we were in three all-Irelands. Now, that's a great achievement to be in three all-Irelands. Even from the men's point of view, the senior football team, like I mean, to have been in an all-Ireland is a great achievement. But personally myself, and I'll say what I feel, to be in three all-Irelands in three weeks, you could say, and to lose three. It's not easy for the players to take that, and it's certainly not easy for the spectators. And as has happened in almost the three games, we're off target. We got opportunities yesterday, and it was pitiful, the misses that we had. And just a footnote to all of that, a lady referee, well, there were some hectic decisions given. It was a rough and tumble game, and a lot was allowed to go, and a lot went unpunished. So from the point of view, not solid rapes or anything, but from yesterday's encounter, the referee didn't beat us. The referee didn't help in any shape or form. And I would qualify that by saying, I felt, after looking at the game twice, Cork were the better, were the masters. They were chipped heavily to beat Galway out the gate. They lost to Galway, they stayed with them. But again, you see, scores win matches. Have luck doesn't win any matches, does it? Yeah, no, I agree. And just on the referee, I agree. I think if I was saying that Cork, you know, they proved it in earlier rounds as well, and certainly in games against Galway, the better team all around at this stage of their development. I suppose just on the day, the referee got a lot of criticism on social media, and I think it was justified. There was a decision about the goal, the Cork goal, which was very decisive as well, about whether it was touched in by the hurley or from the hand. And then there was a few people saying, well, if the goal had been disallowed, it was a penalty. Maybe Cork would have got that and scored it. Anyway, it was very hard to see it on the television monitors, but the umpires are there and it all happened so quickly. But it was a decisive score. But I do, I agree with you. I think Galway were guilty of some very poor misses, two or three points, which would make up for that goal score. If they went over the bar three points, you wouldn't be long tapping over the equivalent of a goal. But they showed great courage to come from six points down. But I don't know what you've seen. I know the Sunday game, maybe in their analysis of it, said it technically may not have been a goal, that it came off the hand. But whether the umpires missed it or it happened so quickly, that's the way it was. Well, I feel anyway, like if the goal came in the last minute, you know, you'd say, well, that can't be rectified. But it came at the stage, you know, at the second half early and there was plenty of time left after that. So, I mean, even though they died with the boots on the Galway team, but as I said, dwelling on the referee for one other minute. I was confused about the substitute business that Cork were at. And it was, of course, it was tactics and it was allowed to continue. And this one was off and this one was going off. And no matter how ardent a sporter you were, you know, not to criticise the referee. I thought she made a few bad decisions. And then there was a Cork player injured. And I don't know, was it sellotape he put on her ankle or was it the bandage? I don't know. But she was up like a shot again. And, of course, that's tactics and that's where good management come in. And you can't blame them for getting every opportunity during the match. But I wouldn't have anything good to say she handled other parts of the match all right. But I thought, you know, the physical stuff to be overdone and not having it checked. Yeah, I agree. And I think when you look back with further analysis on it now, I know the Galway management team was very good in defeat. He took it on the chin and he wasn't, I think, able to comment too much on the goal at the time. But I think it was great improvement by Galway for the final in their tactics and their general play and certainly a lot to be encouraged going forward. Absolutely. And I think I said some of those amateur Cork were overwhelming favourites. And one of the pundits said after beating Tipperary, Galway will have to play 10 times better than that game in order to cope with Cork. Now, Galway brought them down to size and everything. But that goal, I suppose, you know, a score at a certain time can break your monopoly on any game. Yes, I agree. And I think Cork certainly might have just the edge on it. But I think it was great that Galway from a previous huge defeat had cut the gap down. And I think even at the end, the Cork players knew they were in one great tussle. So, whereas the women failed to carry in the previous week, the Camogie players certainly stuck with it. And Camogie is in a healthy position in the county of Galway and Gaelic football as well in both the men's and the women's. And not many counties get to reach three All-Irelands in senior in different sports over the course of three weeks. And I suppose we'll take it on the chin. It's a very proud sporting county. I mean, it's 22, 23 years since we won Sam last. And it's only a few years since we won the Hardling, but the football I'm talking about now. For a county, I think it could be thawed in the winning of All-Irelands. We probably might be thawed, I'm not too sure. But to wait 22 or 23 years and having been in so many finals in between and semifinals, I find that myself hard to take because it's different if you're not in finals. But when you're in them and a lot of them were gone, we could have won them. I'm not happy about having to wait so long. I know football is in a good place at the moment. Bobby Joyce has done wonders with injuries and everything else. But I always maintain, Bernard, there's no cup for good runners-up. And I suppose we have to say as well, football, we can't just look at it with Galway glasses. You see Dublin on any given year, Dublin and Kerry are hard bet. It's only a bounce of a ball. And then you throw in, Cork might be re-emerging. Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Connacht is quite strong as well. So even coming out of Connacht is a battle. But you have a big battle up north as well. Donegal, Armagh, Derry, Tyrone, that's just from the northern counties. So again, I suppose what's disappointing is a lot of people will feel, in the men's football in particular, I suppose we touched on it before, that when you get to that stage, that final certainly was there for the taking. And you're not going to be guaranteed that chance will come along again too soon. Another aspect of it now, I'm looking forward to Jim Gavin's new sets of recommendations and his committee. Something has to happen, because regardless of the Galway-Armagh final, that's history now. But with the way football support is going, if something drastic doesn't happen, there'll be less crowds going to matches. They're dwindling already, as we know. But whether these new recommendations will work or not, I hope they do. Because I feel myself, and I'm not the only one that feels this way, that at the moment it seems to be a case of, there wasn't a stable door when the horse was gone. And when the horse is gone, it's hard to find the horse when he's gone. Yeah, and I was going to touch on that as well. We've mentioned before about the state of the rules and the state of play. And you'd wonder if there was one or two, let's say two or three rules, I know that maybe you could whisper into Jim Gavin's ear, these are the things that are going to certainly change the game for the better. And we know there could be a multitude of them. But what would jump out at you, Francie? I know there's different ones like the mark and this lateral movement going back and over. And what can be done? You know, the kick-outs as well, do they go a certain distance? But is there one that jumps out at you, that if you had a choice of one or two rules, that you would automatically bring in to make the game more attractive, a bit like the old days? Well, if I was in charge, one of the things I would be dealing with first is this silly hand pass. A ball going forward almost back to the goalie again. That to me would be one of many changes I would like. The other one is this thing. When you can see almost 15 of a team playing defence, that's another thing to be looking at as well. But my biggest gripe is this thing of, I mean, they can do it on the clock, no one probably does it on the clock regularly. Such a team has a ball for two minutes or two and a half minutes, and how many passes? I mean, that is ridiculous to say the least. Yeah. And to maybe reintroduce more of the kick pass and our limit how many hand passes can be done. And if you're passing, you're forcing the kick pass, which demands a little bit more risk involved and maybe more accuracy and maybe more of a long ball as well. But certainly this lateral play where they come into the 21 and they rotate it all the way back out and sometimes the goalie, I'd like to see restrictions on the goalie as well. We never had it back in the day. I think the most the goalie came out from the goals when we remember back in the 70s and 80s was Paddy Cullen when Mikey Sheehy chipped him. Paddy was only around 21 yards out and it still looked very unusual. And now you have them coming down to the 21 and kicking points and all of this and coming in to slow down the play as the extra man. And it's interesting, you know, Francie, I often say those rules were in place back in the 70s and 80s, but the philosophy of the teams was that they wouldn't do it. Players would mark their own player and then you win your own battles because the coaches are going to go with the easy option. Parikh Jais is guilty of it as well, I think. But as I said, it would be nice to see something happening over the winter with those rule changes and hopefully there'll be enough of smart and intelligent people, people who played the game, to make the necessary changes, at least in a temporary phase, to see how it works. It may be even in the league next spring. Yeah, but this ridiculous suggestion that we read about as well and hear about, I don't know whether it's official or not, given if you score from so far out you get two points for one point and if you get a goal you get four points for it. That to me, you could compare it with professionalism. That's like in the soccer, you get a bonus if you score a goal and we're getting it in an amateur sport, we're getting a bonus in the scoreboard. I personally don't think that is going to help the game very much myself and I would want to see it implemented. Yeah, I know you hear those and I know going way back, in rugby maybe way back, I don't know, or thrice, four points and three points and various things and then the conversions and all of this, but that's a different code of game. I don't know if you were given four points for a goal, would it suddenly change the whole lateral stuff as well? Would they still be going lateral and trying to score a goal? I don't know and you have to be careful with some of those rule changes, but it wouldn't be the first place I'd be looking to change rules as in the scoring anyway, it would be more as you said in the passing, what's allowed at the pass and maybe how you're bringing a ball back from a very deep position, back over your own halfway line and as I said, limiting the goalkeepers maybe, their involvement in matches as well and just leave it 14 against 14 apart from the goalkeeper in general play, but there'll be a lot of debate on it in the media over the next while and I'm sure we'll see what comes. One other thing there now is they forward Pam and the ball in with two hands to get his goal. Now to me again, well maybe I'm wrong and I'm sure I'm wrong, but it's like throwing the ball into the net, when you put up your two hands to put it into the net. I think myself and maybe I'm going over the top, but I think myself a goal should be fisted, full stop. Yeah, I agree and if you remember back to the 70s when Dublin started and the ridiculous hand pass, I'm not saying Dublin, Kerry did it as well, Mikey Sheehy and all the greats, he could hand pass it over the goalie's head and that was when the hand pass was a bit like it was very basketball style there for the mid-70s and we know it changed a bit. I wonder could you argue would you maybe only hand pass the point, maybe not even allow the hand pass of the goal, but I suppose sometimes you get a situation where the ball is, it's obviously like the Armagh goal that defeated Galway in the final there. You could argue it's a well-worked goal. I suppose if the forward could only take it to the goal, he was in a difficult situation, but he used the hand pass in the air and I suppose that's something that might be the first place I'd look to change the rules, but you'd like football to be more about the foot and the ball rather than the hand and the ball, because we know handball is a different game as well, but if the people making the rules can see that and integrate a few different changes, then it will be worthwhile in the long run. Well, as I said, I'm anticipating Gavin's committee and what they're going to recommend and what will be implemented. When I'm talking to you again, I hope we have all that on the table and then I'll be able to continue my argument. I'll finish on the GAA aspect of it. Just to say I was down, it was my first time. I don't know, have you ever been down to the Dome in Beacon up there? I was there twice, yes. It was my first time there on Saturday. We were down with some players. I know my own girl was involved in the under-13 development squad there along with her teammates from Tarnacashie and the Piercy and Gráinne Wales, a great bunch of girls and coaches from both Gráinne Wales and Tarnacashie there, joining up with all the other girls, maybe from Uchtdóir Ard and my column and East Galway and West and North Galway. The five counties were all represented on the day, Leitrim and Sligo, Roscommon, and all in their team jerseys. But the wonderful facilities. Now, they weren't in the Dome on the day. The day was nice and shiny and there was other activities, but it was wonderful to see the facility and to think, as I was saying to friends of mine, if we had this back in our day when we were 12 or 13 or whatever, what it would have brought us on, even to go to another county. But they were parading around in their Galway jerseys and involved in wonderful interaction on the day. So it's a wonderful facility there. And to think that Connacht has it, and I don't think any other province has a facility like it. I think it's one of the biggest indoor facilities in the world, if you read the stuff on the Dome there. So, you know, it is great. Maybe we're seeing the emergence and the benefits from various codes in Connacht that we know they've been a bit behind the other provinces, but maybe now they're kicking ahead. And I even heard from somebody, a lady from Roscommon there, said that Roscommon are putting in a proposal for planning permission for a second one in the Roscommon area. That could mean we'd have two domes or two similar facilities in the province before Leinster, Munster, or Ulster seem to have one. But that's for the future. But as I said, it was a great eye-opener, great to see that facility in our region. Well, it is. And further into that, you have, I think, five pitches as well surrounding the big arena. Yes. I think, I don't know, are there five floodlits or are there two or three floodlits? I think they are. I think there was even one state-of-the-art. Now, it's an AstroTurf. I don't think I've ever seen a full-size AstroTurf scaling pitch outside. And somebody was saying there were solar lighting panels, maybe solar lights, but very much cutting-edge technology, wonderful facilities. As I said, even without going into the Dome to see the wonderful facilities. But it was wonderful to see an all-weather pitch, you know, with the synthetic grass on it, but a full-size pitch, possibly 140 metres long, but well floodlit as well. So, as I was speaking to one of the people who worked there, that facility comes into its own in the winter, and it's great. And all of the local groups around there who can benefit from it, either inside or outside. But certainly it's nice to see it in a rural area, just not too far from Nock and Nock Airport and Nock Shrine and all of that. And I suppose it's, you know, the benefits that will accrue. And, you know, it's about an hour and a half, I suppose, from Clifton or Cashelburne down there. But still, as I said, when you get there, it's well worth the visit. And, as I said, hopefully it will benefit those age groups going forward. And, again, well done to all involved there, you know, the local clubs, Carnacashelburne, Viollin, Napier, Shea, Clifton, all of those coaches. And, again, even meeting up with the other coaches on the day and changing ideas and all of that. But it's lovely to see them paraded out in their little private, their seven-a-side matches, and then they have the 15-a-side matches, but in the Galway jerseys, and a very proud day for them to, whether they'll ever reach that at a later grade, regardless, they've had at least a few days of wearing the Galway jersey probably for their club and county and their area. Well, I would have to compliment John Printy. I didn't always see eye-to-eye with him in various decisions, but I have to congratulate because he was the spearhead of that particular thing, that football and all that. And he's still going strong, and, as I said, I feel as well, even if Roscommon do get permission, I think there's room for the two of them. Yeah, yeah, and look at Goodwill, good luck to them. I think somebody mentioned as well, it was about maybe €175 an hour to rent out the dome. But you know what, even that's not too expensive. There's huge running costs on it, and I imagine the money that went into it is huge as well. But, you know, the facilities are there, and they're getting used, and all of that is good. So hopefully there's money, money that could otherwise be wasted, goes into those facilities, and great to see maybe a little bit one-off on some of the other more advanced provinces, we say, but hopefully we're catching up and maybe passing them in some way. And well done to all the people who fight on the ground for that. I suppose many years ago they fought for the rural airport, and that was knocked down, and they ended up still having it there. So maybe, you know, the squeaky door gets eyes is an old saying, so maybe that's the way to go forward. And we'll just touch on, before we finish, Franti, just on the Olympic Games. They finished up last night, and they had a homecoming today in Dublin and all of that. But you must have been proud of Ireland's performances like us all there over the last couple of weeks. Well, as I said to you two weeks ago when I was on, you'd run 10 televisions in the room where you were sitting. But now after the event you'd run 20 televisions in the room where we were sitting. But having said all that, I mean, naturally enough, you couldn't watch everything, because if you did, well, even if you were a retired millionaire, you couldn't watch everything. But having watched what I watched, I was so impressed, naturally enough. I was proud and delighted with our Irish performers. We did far better than we expected with the cream of the world against us. And to come home with what we came home with, it was exciting. And then this morning I heard the Minister for Sport and Arts, he has £500 million for our sport facilities to be enhanced, promoted and developed. And that is the first real start from the government's point of view. So there was one thing I watched, gymnastics and certain things I had a particular interest in. But there was one thing that put me off apart from the boxer, Katie Harrington. But this thing got to me, the two crooked judges that were in the boxing section. And then one body, I don't know exactly, but one boxing authority took over from another governing body. And that four years to sort out these two crooked judges. And the thing is that, okay, people might say, two fights or one fight or three fights, that wouldn't have changed the Olympics. But for me, it put me off looking at boxing matches. And I mean that because that four years, this governing body that took over from another governing body, that four years to sort out the judges and everything. And they did destroy some people's career, first off. Yeah, absolutely. And I agree with you. I think when we had these boxing matches, I think there was the lady, there was the Irish girl. And also, we shouldn't forget, there were some very outrageous decisions. And I didn't see, because the boxing wasn't as covered all the time. Obviously, Ireland covered the Irish boxers. But Team GB had some very controversial losses as well. So we weren't just the only one. And I think if there's a general looking back on it, you'd nearly say to yourself, you'd rather the sport of boxing, as much as we love it in Ireland, was not in the Olympics, if it stops the cheating and the crookedness of it. Because unfortunately, eight or nine times out of ten, everything is wonderful in that. But to think that judges can get away with that. And you'd wonder for what value. Is there a monetary value? Why did they judge one country over another? And I think some of them were earmarked before it, as you were saying as well. So look, if you cannot do the sport clean, again, I suppose we cannot go through it. We go through all the athletics. We don't know exactly how clean an Olympics it was, or we don't know how clean any Olympic Games ever is. It will always come under review. But certainly there was a couple of medals possibly lost in the boxing with those decisions, because the boxers that lost out were very impressive. And I'd say they could have gone on to gain bronze. But even if they didn't, at least if they had been awarded the fights that they had won fairly, that's all you'd ask for. Not me, but those medals. What I was impressed with in the Olympics was the comradeship. Like, I mean, you could almost trip somebody deliberately and you wouldn't have an enemy after. Like, I mean, it was like one big happy family in every event that took the defeat with dignity and to perform to their capability. But having said all that, it was a well-run Olympics and France produced the winner. And from lots of people's point of view, they got a five-star performance. Yeah, and very well received. And as I said, you're never going to have a perfect Olympic Games, and there'll be plenty to review there. Hopefully the seven medals will manufacture itself into more for 2028 when it's in Los Angeles. So it's amazing, Los Angeles will come around again. One of our first exciting Olympic Games was 1984, and you had Carl Lewis and all of those great athletes and John Tracy, I think, getting a silver medal. And it was a different era. We've kind of come another generation, and it's back to Los Angeles again in four years' time. But as I said, hopefully the funding will go into certain areas. There were a few close ones as well. There were a few two- or three- or four-place finishes. We know the ladies and the great athletics team in the 4x400 and the mix, and Rashidi Adelaide coming close as well. You know what's interesting over the next few years, Francie, will be even there, I think it didn't get the highlights. There were a few people awarded medals due to the expulsion of former medal winners for drug-taking. So obviously I think they have a system going back to 2012 where with advanced technology, but it only dates back to 2012, anybody that is found guilty, I think, through blood systems and testing and all the various modern testing of having doped, they will lose their medals. So what's interesting about Ireland in their four-place positions, particularly in the athletics, and there was one or two in the medalists in their disciplines who come with a little bit of a question mark, but that may be true across a lot of disciplines. But as I said, if you're in fourth place, there's a chance you'll be upgraded now. We're not wishing anything bad, but I'm only saying if they happen to detect illegal substances in various tests going forward. So that's the interesting thing about coming fourth. Fifth place might have upgraded to fourth, but a fourth could be upgraded to third. We'll see equally nothing may happen, but that can be ongoing. I think there was a few upgrades there from recent Olympics there over the course of this Olympics in various disciplines. So there might be in what we call minor sports and they mightn't have made the headlines, but we'll see how it goes. As I said, it was interesting that it came to a conclusion. So look at Francie. The question now, Bernard, is this. Yeah. The big question is this. Will I, with God's help, in four years' time, will Connemara Radios send me out to the next Olympics like the ones I'm after coming back from? Well, Los Angeles would shoot you down to the ground, Francie, because you'd be a man for the sun and all of the razzmatazz of Los Angeles. So I'm going to put in a letter straightaway. I'm going to draft it up as we speak and they'll have four years to think about it and hopefully you will be there alive and well and I might be packing your bags. I don't think they'll send me out, but I do intend that Los Angeles will have the benefit of your wonderful commentary there for 2028. Francie, always good to chat to you. Please, God, we'll chat to you next week as well. Thanks for joining us this evening. Same to yourself, Edwin. All right. That's the one and only Francie Foley there from Clifton. Thanks to Francie for joining us and covering us on all those topics. So that's more or less where we're going to leave it for this evening and I'd like to thank all the contributors this evening. Francie Foley there and we had Dominic Lynch and I know Paul Gannon does his local sports roundup there at the start of the program as well. And thanks to Pat back in the studio for doing all the recording and that's where we leave it for this week, hopefully. And so the weather is good wherever you are and if you're doing various events and organizing, I hope it goes well for you. There's plenty of pony shows still ongoing and lots of events. So we'll see how it goes. And this is Bernard Lee signing out from Talksport. Thank you for listening. Talksport and Galway County Council reminds everyone to use a litter bin at all times and to help ensure that Galway is litter-free. Please play your part. It's easy to make a difference. Be part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the community.