Galway Bay FM - Sports

On Hurling Chat this week, Joe Hession joins Niall and Sean to look back at the weekend Hurling action in the Senior and Premier Intermediate championships. There was no shortage of shocks! 3 out of the 2025 County Senior Semi Finalists taste defeat County champions Loughrea overturned by Tommie Larkins Athenry, Liam Mellows, Clarinbridge & St Thomas all start in style 6 out of the 8 2025 Senior B teams win in new Premier Intermediate Championship Notable wins for Meelick Eyrecourt, Skehana Mountbellew Moylough & Tynagh Abbey Duniry   

A recent meeting of the Connacht Clan saw Brian O'Connor nominated and elected as their new president. The Connacht Clan are the Connacht Rugby Supporters Club and are made up of members of all five counties in the province.  It promises to be a very busy year for the Clan with Connacht involved in the Champions Cup as well as the United Rugby Championship.  Following his election, Brian spoke to John Mulligan on Sunday Sport and the first thing John did was congratulate him. 

This week on 'Over The Line' with George McDonagh and Darren Kelly: We look back on Galway's All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final defeat to Cork and hear from Carrie Dolan and Cathal Murray; Cyril Farrell discusses the weekend's opening round of the club championships and we have the Galway Bay FM Senior Team of the Week; And fresh up World championship success in the USA, Cillian Hirst and his dad Joe tells us about his historic success in Pinehurst; All this and more. == 'Over The Line' broadcasts every Monday evening from 9pm on Galway Bay FM.

After joining an very exclusive Irish club of US Kids World Golf champions, 9-year-old Cillian Hirst from Maree, the World number one for his age, arrived home to Maree Community Centre last Saturday (8th August), after winning the global title by a convincing six shots in Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA. The Athenry club golfer joins Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin as the only two Irish golfers to win this prestigious title.  And Cillian did it just one week after claiming the 'Champion of Champions' crown in Fermanagh, the World's largest Junior Golf invitational. On this weekend's 'Over The Line,' Cillian Hirst, and his dad Joe, caught up with Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly.

Racing in Ireland on Monday is in Ballinrobe (10th August 2026) with the first of seven races going to post at 5.26. The €15,000 Burleigh Accounty Handicap Hurdle is the feature at 7.27. Here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

Racing in Ireland today (Sunday August 6th 2026) was at the Curragh and at Downpatrick. George McDonagh reviews the action...

Sean Carley looks back on the sporting weekend, including: The Galway Camogie Team's defeat to Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final The start of the Galway GAA Senior and Premier Intermediate Hurling Championships Galway United's scoreless draw on their return to the resurfaced Eamonn Deacy Park Galway United Women's draw away to Sligo Rovers Colga exit the FAI Junior Cup after defeat to Evergreen

Galway Manager Cathal Murray spoke to Tommy Devane after his side were defeated by Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final.

Commentary of Galway's loss to Cork in the 2026 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final by Tommy Devane and Imelda Hobbins.

Athletes representing Galway County and Galway City Harriers will be aiming for national honours tomorrow at the AAI National Outdoor League Finals held at the Morton Stadium in Santry.  Competition gets underway at 10:00am, with both the Premier Division and Division 1 finals set to provide thrilling contests across the track and field. Both Galway's men's and Women's teams feature in the Inter-County Premier Division Finals while Galway City Harriers are in the Clubs Division One Final.  Sean McDermott of Galway Men, Sarah Finnegan of Galway Women and Margaret Sheridan of Galway City Harriers joined John in studio. John put it to Sean that it was not a formality qualifying for the finals. 

SOCCER: Galway United manager John Caulfield with Galway Bay FM's Mike Rafferty after their 0-0 Premier Division draw with Drogheda United

Galway United were held to a scoreless draw by Drogheda United in the SSE Airtricity League Men's Premier Division upon their return to Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday (7th August 2026). In a game of little chances, a David Hurley missed penalty could have made a massive difference to their league position but the Tribesmen remain in seventh place on 30 points, five clear of the relegation zone. Galway Bay FM's match commentary team were Mike Rafferty and Derek Rogers. == Galway United's next game is against Bray Wanderers in the FAI Cup Round 3.  Kick-off at Eamonn Deacy Park next Friday (14th) is 7.45pm.

Racing in Ireland on Saturday is in Wexford and Kilbeggan (8th August 2026). Cross-channel, there were meetings in Ascot, Haydock, Newmarket, Redcar, Ayr and Lingfield. With his 'Saturday Six,' here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

RUGBY: Connacht head coach Craig Hansberry with Galway Bay FM's William Davies ahead of their women's interprovinical opener against Ulster

RUGBY: Connacht full back Clara Barrett with Galway Bay FM's William Davies ahead of their interprovincial opener against Ulster

RUGBY: Connacht co-captain Aoibheann Reilly with Galway Bay FM's William Davies ahead of their interprovincial opener against Ulster

The build-up continues to the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final between Galway and Cork, with the Tribeswomen aiming to win back-to-back O'Duffy Cups for the first time ever on Sunday (9th August 2026). Athenry's Dervla Higgins is one of the vice-captains and has had a year to remember, following up last year's Croke Park success with an AIB All-Ireland club title in January. At the recent open training session in Kenny Park, Athenry, Dervla chatted to Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly. == Throw-in at Croke Park on Sunday is 4.15pm and we'll have LIVE coverage here on Galway Bay FM.

Racing in Ireland on Friday is in Gowran Park and Wexford (7th August 2026). The feature in Gowran Park is the €50,000 Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes at 7.20; while in Wexford, the feature is the €20,000 Neville Hotel Handicap Hurdle at 5.51. With a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh.

This Saturday, over 4,000 athletes will take to the roads of the city for the 40th Streets Of Galway 8k. Now called the Medtronic Streets Of Galway 8k, this race attracts runners ranging from elite athletes to club runners from all over the country for what is one of the highlights of the summer calendar. Since it's inception in 1986, the race has become for some a must attend event and it's popularity has grown to such an extent that the race sold out in record time this year. Race Director Brian Bruton spoke to John Mulligan about the race coming up on Saturday. 

On Hurling Chat this week... Niall Canavan is joined by Galway Bay Fm analyst Cyril Farrell where they look ahead to the commencement of the Galway Senior and Premier Intermediate Hurling Championships. They discuss the chances of Loughrea winning a three in a row of championships, whether this could finally be Turloughmore's year or could the likes of Clarinbridge or other clubs reign supreme. They also discuss the highly competitive Premier Intermediate championship as well as taking a look at the All Ireland Senior Camogie Final between Galway and Cork.

As we continue our build up to Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final, we look back to twelve months ago when Galway bridged a gap of four years in winning the O'Duffy Cup. A Carrie Dolan free, two minutes into injury time, saw Galway crowned All-Ireland Senior Camogie Champions in the most dramatic way possible.  Here is the commentary of that game from Tommy Devane and Imelda Hobbins.