Corofin and Tuam Stars jump to top of the queue in the County Senior Football Championship
By NOEL CARNEY Corofin .3-17 MÃÂcheál Breathnachs .1-7 SO, Corofin are vulnerable in the first round of the Championship, are they? Well, there was no sign of that in this game as they swatted aside the genuine but ultimately feeble challenge of a MÃÂcheál Breathnachs team that did, admittedly, catch the North Galway side on the hop first time out a few years ago. There was no chance of history repeating itself here. The manner of this easy win at Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening is ominous for the rest of the county as David Morris marked his managerial debut with a notable triumph that might well have been even more one-sided if his charges took every chance. Indeed there were times when they were too good, getting in each otherâ€â„¢s way such was their speed, sense of purpose and fitness. Whatever anybody says about new teams winning the County title â€â€ and you can understand the sentiments â€â€ you have to admire the way Corofin play the game. No bunching in clusters under a dropping ball or chasing possession. They play a wide, expansive game using the full width of the pitch with every man working relentlessly, knowing his job and doing it to the best of his ability.[private] How good are they? Like Mayo the previous week against Galway, the victory margin looks very impressive but until stiffer challenges are met we will not know their true worth. MÃÂcheál Breathnachs were down a number of players from last year and were dealt a huge blow before this game when their young talisman Fiontán Ó Curraoin withdrew with an injury. The last thing they needed was a bad start but thatâ€â„¢s what they got when Corofinâ€â„¢s first real attack ended with Ian Burke flicking a clever ball into the path of Gary Sice who blasted to the net. From then on it was a procession as the winners went into cruise control and even though county panelist Seán Denvir, who played his heart out all through, replied with a point it was always going to be one-way traffic. With Kieran Comer and Ronan Steede revelling in the midfield exchanges â€â€ the return of the latter and Michael Farragher from Australia is a big boost for the club â€â€ and with half-backs Barry Oâ€â„¢Donovan, Alan Burke and Pádraig Hanly always ready to press forward, the pressure was going to be intense as far as the losers were concerned, especially with Gary Delaney playing a roving role with great effect. Keith Murphy never put a foot wrong behind a solid full-back line of Padraig Kelly, who went off injured late on, Kieran Fitzgerald and Aeneas Lawless. The attack looked capable of scoring every time they got the ball and they very nearly did. Full-forward and target man Joe Canney, back to full fitness after an injury-plagued period, was always showing for the ball and had a fine game; Ian Burke continues to blossom and the entire county is now watching his progress, and Gary Sice and Mike Farragher worked tirelessly on the wings, but the real revelation was Alan Oâ€â„¢Donovan. Now sited out on the â€Å“fortyâ€Â he had the space to manoeuvre and bring others into the game as well as accomplishing his own scoring duties. His floated kicked pass into Gary Sice who then earned a second-half penalty brought a buzz from the crowd and also set up a couple of other chances with great footwork. And he ended the match with 1-6 to his name. Corofin put eleven points on the board in the first half to complement Gary Siceâ€â„¢s early goal, with wing-backs Barry Oâ€â„¢Donovan and Pádraig Hanly among the scorers, while Peadar Ó Cionnaith scored from play and from a free in quick succession late in the half to take the bare look off Seán Denvirâ€â„¢s score. It was long over as contest when they changed ends at 1-11 to 0-3. To the credit of the Gaeltacht lads they never threw in the towel or lost their composure and in the circumstances their 1-4 tally afterwards with sub Diarmaid Ó Maoileáin grabbing a late consolation goal wasnâ€â„¢t too bad. In modern fashion their goalkeeper Eoin Ó Coisdealbha went upfield and drove a 45 firmly between the posts for one of their points but luck was not on their side in this match and they ended up with fourteen men after sub Pádraig Mac Giolla BhrÃÂde was sent off on a second yellow card. Not for the first time, MÃÂcheál Breathnachs were relying on Peadar Ó Cionnaith for scores and he was again their main man in attack, with Seán Denvir giving him most assistance. On this evidence most, if not all clubs in the county would struggle to contain this Corofin juggernaut. They sauntered to a win that more than justifies the judgement of the bookies who made them favourites to win the Frank Fox Cup before a ball was kicked. The odds will only shorten after this but there was, of course, much talk late into Sunday night about the Tuam Stars performance against Cortoon. It was Corofin vs Tuam in the County final two years ago. Theyâ€â„¢re both hungry again! Corofin: Keith Murphy; P. Kelly, K. Fitzgerald, A. Lawless; B. Oâ€â„¢Donovan (0-1), A. Burke, P. Hanly (0-1); K. Comer, R. Steede; G. Sice (1-0), A. Oâ€â„¢Donovan (1-6, 1-0 penalty, one free), M. Farragher (0-1); G Delaney (0-1), J. Canney (0-2), I. Burke (1-4). Subs., G. Higgins for Steede (31 mins), T. Costello (0-1) for Hanly (38 mins), D. Burke for Delaney (46 mins), G. Delaney for Kelly (inj., 58 mins). MÃÂcheál Breathnach: E. Ó Coisdeabhla (0-1, a 45f); B. Ó Conghaile, G. Ó Fátharta, P. Ó Conghaile; C. Ó Griallais, C. Ó Cuiv, K. Ó Donnacha; A. Ó Finneadha, S. Ó Finneadha; O. Ó Ceallaigh, F. Ó Béarra, S. C. Ó Finneadha (0-1); S. Ó Conaire, P. Ó Cionnaith (0-4, three frees), S Denvir (0-1). Subs., P. Mac Giolla BhrÃÂde for A. Ó Finneadha (31 mins), D. Ó Maoileáin (1-0) for S. Ó Finneadha (31 mins), S. Ó Maoiléain for Ó Ceallaigh (31 mins), M. Ó Béarra for Ó Donnacha (32 mins), S. Ó Finneadha for Denvir (60 mins). Referee: Shane Hehir (Oranmore-Maree). Herald Sport Man of the Match: Alan Oâ€â„¢Donovan (Corofin).[/private]