Corofin know how to win County Minor football finals

By JIM CARNEY Corofin ..............................0-10 St James's ..........................0-9 THEY just about got over the winning line, and they know only too well themselves that they won without playing well, but the quality â€â€ or lack of it â€â€ in this SuperValu County Minor 'A' Football Championship final at Pearse Stadium on Sunday won't be analysed in the Roll of Honour. All that will be recorded there is Corofin's eleventh U-18 title since the famous 8-in-a-row started in 1992. Since then they've taken home the John C. McHugh Memorial Cup in 2003, 2008 and this most recent success. St James's were seeking a fourth County Minor 'A' title, to go with 2006, '07 and last year, and they will be hugely disappointed that they didn't at least force a replay. On the balance of play, Corofin were deserving winners but they made almost unbelievably heavy weather of it â€â€ kicking nine wides in the second half, with the wind. And while there's no such thing as a good wide, most of Corofin's were of the shockingly bad variety. Their loyal supporters were left to wonder why it was so difficult to kick the ball over the crossbar from relatively easy positions, often under no serious man-marking pressure. In the overall context of the game, and remembering the sheer artistry of Corofin Minor teams in the past, it was very disappointing that this game failed to produce a goal either side. I recall Derek Reilly once scoring three goals in seven minutes in a County or North Board Minor final, in the early '90s; I cannot remember which competition it was. With Corofin adding a paltry three points to their half-time lead of 0-7 to 0-5, you could argue that it was to St James's credit they 'won' the second half 4-3, but there was no merit in that; Corofin should have been ten points up by the time the city lads rallied to create a few scoring chances in the closing stages. They could easily have saved the day â€â€ one shot from a bad angle came back off the crossbar, with a lurking team-mate free in front of the goal, and in that move, too, was the opportunity for the player on the ball to punch it over the bar for an equalising point. As often happens, the ball was quickly transferred to the other end of the field, at the wind-assisted 'scoring' goal at the city end, and Corofin won a very kickable free which Seán Silke coolly pointed. From the 9-9 which was there for the taking as St James's attacked, the scoreboard now read 10-9 in Corofin's favour and the final whistle came soon after the kick-out. St James's would not have deserved to win this final; they seldom played well enough for anybody to think that â€â€ but in fairness to them they didn't give up the fight in the second half, into the wind and trailing on the scoreboard, and in the closing ten minutes in particular their spirit was admirable. Aaron Connolly, Eoghan O'Regan (2, one free) and Seán Glynn got St James's four second-half points, with Eoin Glynn, Ian Burke and Seán Silke (free) keeping Corofin in front. Glynn, the centre-forward, had hit two sweetly struck points from play in the first half, along with points by Patrick Coen (free), Seán Silke (2), Conor McNamara and excellent captain Oisín Mannion at the end of a great run from wing-back. In the first half, midfielder Aaron Connolly, easily the best player on the field, kicked two points from play to rouse St James's at times when they appeared to be waiting for things to happen for them rather than taking on their opponents man-to-man, while James Moran (free), Eoghan O'Regan (free) and full-forward Liam Finnerty hit a point apiece. Finnerty got through to try for a goal, and you could not really see him missing it, but Corofin goalkeeper Tom Healy and his full-back Conor Keady did superbly well as they combined to deny the well-built full-forward his goal chance. Conor Keady was Corofin's best performer in this final, in my opinion, and indeed all the full-back line can feel well satisfied that they held the St James's full-forward line to one score in 60-plus minutes. A win is a win is a win, they say, so well done to the Corofin players, their manager Ollie Burke and his helpers PJ Langan, Gabriel Mannion and Martin Fleming. Corofin: T. Healy; D. Collins, C. Keady, C. Langan; S. Burke, C. Cunningham, O. Mannion, captain (0-1); D. Burke, P. Coen (0-1, free); I. Burke (0-1), E. Glynn (0-3), J. Kelly; S. Silke (0-3, one free), S. Farragher, C. McNamara (0-1). St James's: C. Murphy; D. Lenihan, C. Walsh, O. O'Malley; A. Byrne, A. Lee, captain, R. Gartlan; A. Connolly (0-3), B. McEntee; J. Moran (0-1, free), E. O'Regan (0-3, two frees), S. Glynn (0-1); O. Teagle, L. Finnerty (0-1), M. Murphy. Sub used: C. Joyce. Referee: Muiris Mac Gearailt. Herald Sport Man of the Match: Aaron Connolly (St James's).