News

Galway I start season with a win

24 September 2011

Winning start for Galway I

Galway’s first senior team started the new season where it finished last year with a win for Galway over their nearest rivals by 3 goals to nil.  Greenfields, last years league winners, started last season well by picking up early wins over Galway and NUIG.  They had hoped to do the same this year, but Galway started the strongest.

Galway looked dominant from the outset.  They dominated midfield with Michelle Carey, Alison Hynes and Tara Melvin totally taking control.  The forwards were continuously putting the Greenfields defence under pressure and this paid off when they were awarded a number of short corners.  Seven short corners for Galway in the first 15 minutes with no results – Greenfields were starting to feel like they were getting the upper hand and for a 10 minute spell started to come back into the game. They too forced a couple of short corners but could convert none.  Then Galway made a quick break down the pitch and were awarded yet another short corner.  This time Tara Melvin made no mistake and neatly slotted the ball into the corner of the goal.

The second half saw more of the same from Galway with them putting Greenfields under continuous pressure.  Again a number of short corners were awarded and again it looked like these were going to be wasted, but eventually Michelle Carey scored from a well worked short corner and flicked the ball past the goalkeeper into the goal.

The rest of the game continued on the same path and it did feel like it was only a matter of time before Galway scored again and they didn’t have long to wait when Elaine Carey put the Greenfields sweeper under pressure, won the ball at the top of the circle and pushed the ball passed an advancing keeper.

Credit to the Greenfields goalkeeper who had a very good game.  She was under a lot of pressure but on many occasions came to her defences aid.  Both teams played very fast attacking hockey and although Greenfields seemed to be under the most pressure, they always looked comfortable on the ball and passed well.  On this occasion, however, Galway were just sharper.