Tuam's freshness and faster legs will put Corofin under intense pressure

By JIM CARNEY FAR from being tired or stale after four Sundays of Championship action in a row, Tuam Stars are as fresh and rarin' to go as they could hope to be. There's really only one way a fifth successive week would hit them hard â€â€ if next Sunday's County final goes to extra-time. You wouldn't rule that out! Tuam manager Alan Flynn, as in-form as his team in getting everything right this year, is a keen student of fitness and all-round preparation, so he'll know how to control and manage the week before the big match. But he won't be able to kick the ball over and/or under the crossbar against Corofin at Tuam Stadium on Sunday, and unless the Tuam forwards show huge improvement as a unit, and individually in two or three cases, or maybe even four, it's difficult to see the Stars winning. But not impossible. Almost certainly Tuam will have one massive advantage over their vastly more experienced rivals â€â€ speed. Against Claregalway in the drawn game in particular, I thought Corofin's legs were 'gone' as they say in sport. It was chiefly pride in the jersey that kept them alive that day; they survived and grew stronger, and now they're through to their fourth successive County S.F.C. final completely on merit. For which they deserve the highest praise; they are a credit to their community, their families, the national schools that started them off and, most of all, to themselves. Can they hold off the exciting challenge coming from the town team who undoubtedly will have faster legs? How will Corofin slow down 'fliers' like Noel Henry, Jamie Murphy and Conor Doherty? It remains to be seen, but for now I believe it will cause big problems for Corofin, requiring serious consideration from their management trio led by Brian Silke, with Michael Donnellan and Pat McHugh. There are two other factors which I feel will come into play: Tony Costello is an inspirational captain for Tuam this year again; he played a general's role last Sunday in the semi-final replay against Salthill-Knocknacarra, but Damien Burke, transferred from defence to attack, is likely to start at No. 11 for Corofin again and he'll be physically stronger and more forceful on the ball than any man the Tuam defence will have met so far. Secondly, the importance of free-taking must be stressed. Tuam may get it right next Sunday but it's been of major concern to them up to now. With most top teams, it's simply taken for granted and not even mentioned in the run-up to big games. Alan O'Donovan is an outstanding freetaker â€â€ year in, year out. He sometimes misses a few close in, but it never puts him off his game. Like the golfer who misses a putt from four feet and then sinks a long one, Alan has been known to kick a 20-metre free wide (although not that often!) and then drive a 45 over the black spot, into the wind. If Tony Costello is a leader for Tuam, and they have other driving-forces including Ian McGough and Gary O'Donnell, Kieran Fitzgerald will be leading from the front for Corofin and no better man, an outstanding clubman. Corofin have leaders in all sectors and, in the big picture of experience, the club's record is awe-inspiring: 13 County S.F.C. titles, including six in the 1990s and four since the turn of the century; three Connacht Club titles and one All-Ireland triumph, on St Patrick's Day 1998; a spectacular run of brilliant victories in Minor and U-21; two All-Ireland Féile (under 14) titles in 1995 and 2004, and an equally good record in Ladies Football. The S.F.C. Roll of Honour is a cause of immense pride for the Tuam Stars club, proudly on top of the list with 24 titles, followed by Ballinasloe 17, Dunmore 15 and Corofin 13. The outcome of this final is very difficult to predict but although Tuam Stars are a breath of fresh air to Galway club football this year, my vote goes to Corofin to make their experience, craft and Championship know-how count on the big day. The curtain-raiser at 1.00 (early throw-in to allow for extra-time if necessary) is a fixture in the Connacht Junior (A grade) Club Championship: Galway champions Clonbur vs a Galway border club, Creggs, representing neighbouring Roscommon in this competition. Kilconly, the newly crowned Galway Intermediate champions, will also be in Connacht action on Sunday, in Roscommon â€â€ see Herald Sport inside.