CONNACHT SFC FINAL: Corofin 2-14 Charlestown 0-7MAD DOGS and Englishmen may go out in the midday sun but only the Irish can get sport out of frozen flood plains.
Postponed by a week after the deluge that swamped the West of Ireland, the showpiece of Connacht club football had its big day out on the last Sunday of November and Corofin, the reigning champions, gave a show that must have warmed their friends and neighbours.
The folly of forcing serious clubs to play major finals at this time of year is an issue that will not go away and the stewards of the Charlestown club deserve some sort of award for ensuring the pitch in Fr O’Hara Park played so well yesterday.
Unfortunately for the Mayo champions, it was the Galway team who played all the football, steamrolling the Charlestown effort with an aggressive and polished performance that turned the second half into an exhibition. Kieran Comer, the team captain, kicked 1-7, a haul that included an important early goal and a glorious closing point, his first from play.
But his overall sharpness and imagination were central to the Corofin effort. He directed the Corofin attack, ably assisted by the fast and clever Joe Canney, who in stature and speed is a refreshing rebuke to the current vogue for huge and ponderous full forwards.
But this was simply one of those dream days for Corofin and if this were the sole evidence, then one would have to presume that a huge gulf exists between Galway and Mayo football.
The truth is, of course, less simple but the match did illuminate the serious potential within the north Galway club. A substitution in the closing minutes perfectly framed the sort of work that has gone into this club over the last 10 years.
Ronan Steede, still a schoolboy, was named at centre forward in just his third senior start for the team and was withdrawn in the last few minutes after putting in an accomplished hour. His replacement was Trevor Burke, one of the two survivors (along with Aiden Donnellan) from Corofin’s All-Ireland-winning year of 1998. Since then, they have been brand leaders for Galway football and this marks their fifth Connacht title.
“We got out of the blocks early, which we haven’t being doing all year,” admitted Comer during the happy aftermath.
“We hadn’t been playing well all year. And we felt that we only played for 10 or 15 minutes in the first half and felt we would have a serious battle on our hands. But lucky enough we got a few points at the start of the second half and got our tails up. The pitch was immaculate. If you get the first one, your confidence is up and that is what happened me today, I suppose. I never imagined we would win this as easily as we did.”
Corofin had their homework done. Their decision to press up on Charlestown and pressurise the short-passing game had the Mayo men on the back foot from the start. Comer’s fourth-minute goal set the tone. Gary Sice hammed a ball across to Michael Farragher and when Joe Canney skipped past David Caffrey, Charlestown were in all sorts of trouble.
Canney’s decision-making all afternoon was terrific and his pass to Comer left the captain with the most simple of finishes. But for two terrific blocks from full back Daragh McMeel and a fine save late on from John Casey on Canney, the scoreboard could have looked even bleaker for Charlestown.
It was remarkable the Mayo champions trailed by just a goal – 1-4 to 0-4 at half-time. Their most encouraging period came shortly before the break, when Tony Mulligan forced a brave save out of David Morris and they cobbled two quick scores from Paul Mulligan and Richard Haran. At the break, the match was notionally alive for the home team. But Corofin attacked hungrily from the restart, with corner back Cathal Silke driving in on the Charlestown goal before slipping a pass to Canney.
Two monster frees from Comer and the champions were on their way. The excellent Sice iced a fine afternoon with a thrilling 59th minute goal to deepen the Charlestown misery.
Tom Parsons made a few wonderful catches and the Charlestown rearguard battled well under ferocious pressure. But it must be a long time since they felt like such strangers in their home patch.
Corofin face Ulster champions St Galls in February. By then, they may have Kieran Fitzgerald back from injury and if they do not retreat under their shell, they have every reason to believe they can push on to St Patrick’s Day.
COROFIN: D Morris; G Delaney, D Burke, C Silke; D Keane, T Goggins, G Sice (1-0); G Higgins (0-1), A Donnellan; M Farragher (0-1), R Steade, C McGrath (0-1); K Comer (1-7, six frees), J Canney (0-2), A Burke. Subs: S Monaghan (0-1) for D Keane (half-time), A O'Donovan (0-1) for Farragher (53 mins), T Burke for R Steede (57 mins),
CHARLESTOWN: J Casey; E Casey, D McMeel, D Caffrey; D Higgins, C Maye; A Higgins, T Parsons (0-1); M Mulvaney, M Caffrey, P Mulligan (0-3, two frees); R Haraan (0-3, one free), T Mulligan, O Conway. Subs: B O'Connell for O Conway (42 mins), S Morris for C Maye (42 mins), M Divilly for M Caffrey (52 mins), S Lenehan for E Casey (58 mins), E Gallagher for M Mulvaney (60 mins).
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).
