Tuam Stars come up with extra to retain their Division 1 crown

Joyce nets consolation goal for Corofin

Tuam Stars2-12

Corofin1-14

(after extra-time)

By Mark Walsh

At Tuam Stadium

‘ALL the way from Tuam’ by The Saw Doctors could be heard from a car radio leaving Tuam Stadium after 9.30pm on Friday night.

Referee Shane Curley threw the ball in to start extra-time at 8.59pm after Tuam Stars and Corofin had finished tied 1-10 to 0-13 after 60 minutes in the 3Dental-sponsored Division 1 Football League final.

The lights were turned on in the Joe O’Toole Stand during the first half of extra-time, and a Brian Mannion goal at the end of that half proved the key score in Tuam Stars retaining their title.

This was the fourth Division 1 decider meeting on the spin for Tuam Stars and Corofin. Friday’s win for Tuam tied the head-to-head between the sides after Corofin had emerged victorious in the 2023 (on penalties) and '24 finals.

A decent crowd passed through the gates of Tuam Stadium for this fixture. Some patrons may have been looking for something to cure the blues of the Galway footballers’ most disappointing All-Ireland quarter-final exit.

Brian Cogger had been part of the matchday 26 for that loss to Dublin and he lined out at centre-back for Corofin. Dara Heneghan started for Tuam Stars and another member of the Galway panel, Shay McGlinchey, entered the fray in the middle third on Friday night.

The midfield battleground was an area where Tuam had an upper hand. They collected possession from eight of Corofin’s 12 first half restarts for instance and negated the influence of Ciarán Brady, who played with Cavan this year and was a dominant presence in last October’s County Senior Championship semi-final loss to Salthill-Knocknacarra.

Tuam pressed up on the Corofin kickout early and it gave them the platform the eke out a 1-3 to 0-1 lead by the close of the first quarter.

Jack Grugan, Luke Davin and Ronan Colleran scored points. Rory O’Connor was a solid presence at full-back for Tuam and they received sufficient drive from their half-back line. Wing-back Conor Doherty, an All-Ireland minor winner in 2007, hit the top corner in minute seven with a brilliant shot off the deck after the ball spilled loose in contact.

Ross Coen doubled his tally in minute 17 for Corofin and Killian Joyce scored from the resulting kickout. Coen had a strong first half and was tagged by Sean Rattigan who stuck to his task well and would go on to score an important late point for his side in normal time.

After a Colleran free in minute 20, Corofin hit the final three points of the half through Jason Leonard, Dylan Canney and Cathal Silke. The closing two points came in added time at the end of the half, meaning Tuam led at the break by 1-4 to 0-6.

Tuam had seven wides playing into the town end goal in the first period and more of the play. They also missed two gilt-edged goalscoring opportunities. Corofin’s efficiency was unblemished and they didn’t register a single wide in the half.

Leonard and Conor Heneghan traded points at the start of the second half before Joyce pointed. A two-point free off the deck from Darragh Silke pushed Corofin ahead for the first time.

A Brian Mannion free and a point from Jamie Murphy, who played almost the entirety of the 80-plus minutes, drew Tuam level on minute 42. Brian Cogger replied and another two-pointer through Canney had Corofin in the ascendancy at 0-13 to 1-7 in minute 49.

Tuam Stars had beaten Corofin in the league in June and they rallied in the closing stages. Defenders Dara Heneghan and Sean Rattigan pointed. Mannion, marked by Galway U-20 corner-back Vinnie Gill, tied the contest again in minute 58.

Jack McCabe converted a free for the first score of extra-time. Mannion came into the game more towards the end of normal time, and after striking the post with a goal chance in minute eight of extra-time, he made no mistake with another goalscoring opportunity a couple of minutes afterwards.

Tuam were 2-10 to 0-14 ahead at the change of ends in extra-time. Their bench supplied them with good bounce via Shay McGlinchey, Jack Heneghan and Luke Higgins, and the latter two extended their lead in the second period of extra-time.

A Killian Joyce goal proved to be a consolation score as Shane Curley called for the ball from the resulting Darragh Creavan kickout, at 9.26pm.

Tuam Stars were the deserving winners in the end. Themselves and Corofin will have their sights set on going deep into the final stages of the championship.

TUAM STARS: D. Creavan; S. Rattigan (0-1), R. O’Connor, D. Cunningham; C. Doherty (1-0), D. Heneghan (0-1), C. Mitchell; P. Collins, C. Heneghan (0-1); M. Colleran, J. Murphy (0-1), R. Colleran (0-2, 0-1 free); B. Mannion (1-2, 0-1 free), J. Grugan (0-1), L. Davin (0-1). Subs: S. McGlinchey, for M. Colleran, 37 mins; C. Bodkin, for Davin, 44 mins; L. Higgins (0-1), for R. Colleran, 51 mins; J. Heneghan (0-1), for Collins inj., 58 mins; J. Cryan, for Doherty, 65 mins; C. Rhatigan, for Murphy, 70 mins; N. Henry, for D. Heneghan, 80+1 mins.

COROFIN: M. Quinn; B. Coen, C. Silke (0-1), V. Gill; S. Canavan, B. Cogger (0-1), A. Looney; Ciarán Brady, R. Steede; R. Coen (0-2), D. Silke (0-2, one 0-2 free), J. Leonard (0-2); K. Joyce (1-2), M. Lundy, D. Canney (0-3, one 0-2 score). Subs: J. McCabe (0-1, free), for Steede, 36 mins; Colin Brady, for Lundy, 49 mins; D. O’Reilly, for Canney, 59 mins; Connor Brady, for Colin Brady, ht in extra-time; G. McHugh, for Canavan, 76 mins.

REFEREE: Shane Curley.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Rory O’Connor (Tuam Stars).

GAME AT A GLANCE

KEY MOMENT

Brian Mannion’s goal in minute 10 in the first half of extra-time regained the lead for his side, coming two minutes after he had struck the butt of the post at the town end goal. A turnover won by Tuam Stars corner-back Darragh Cunningham started the move and Mannion played a one-two with Jack Grugan before finishing beyond Corofin goalkeeper Michael Quinn. It gave Tuam a 2-10 to 0-14 lead and coupled with further points from subs Jack Heneghan and Luke Higgins, it allowed them enough wriggle room for victory despite a Killian Joyce goal for Corofin with the game’s final play.

TALKING POINT

By our reckoning Tuam Stars had as many as 39 scoring chances – including shots taken on advantage – and won the game despite hitting 15 wides to Corofin’s seven. They enjoyed a greater share of possession from kickout time, winning the ball from more than half of the Corofin restarts.

STAR TURN

Rory O’Connor has consistently been one of the best defenders on the Galway club scene for the past few years. O’Connor was an assured presence on the ball and in defence against Corofin and was the target for some of Darragh Creavan’s kickouts.

Conor Doherty was excellent for Tuam Stars, while Sean Rattigan, Darragh Cunningham, Dara Heneghan, Paul Collins, Conor Heneghan, Brian Mannion and Shay McGlinchey went well.

On the Corofin side, recent Galway U-20 players Shane Canavan and Ross Coen had fine outings. Ronan Steede, Jason Leonard, Brian Cogger, Aaron Looney and Darragh Silke were all good.

SIDELINE VIEW

David Donnellan has won two Division 1 titles in three seasons at the helm of Tuam Stars. He is joined in his backroom team by selectors Mike Neylon, Sean Murphy and brothers Niall and Colin Quinn. Team captain Conor Rhatigan lifted the cup after coming into the game as an extra-time substitute. Galway panellist Shay McGlinchey was also brought off the bench.

Gary Delaney is in his second season as Corofin manager. His selectors remain the same as 2025 with Alan O’Donovan, Greg Higgins, Terry Payne and Gerry McGowan (former Clare and Roscommon coach) involved again. While Brian Cogger played on Friday evening, their other Galway panellists Liam Silke, Dylan McHugh, Kieran Molloy and Patrick Egan – who has gone on a J1 visa – did not feature.

REF WATCH

Shane Curley, who referees ladies football inter-county games, did a good job of officiating Friday’s game. Cogger was the only player the enter the notebook of the Glinsk official.

WHAT'S NEXT

Attention turns to the Galway Senior Football Championship which begins early next month. Tuam Stars start their Group 4 campaign against Oughterard and will also face St. James’ and Annaghdown. Corofin meet Claregalway in Group 1 before going on to play Killannin and Mountbellew-Moylough.

The format is once again a 16-club line-up split into four groups of four. It's Salthill-Knocknacarra, Milltown, Caltra and Bearna Na Forbacha in Group 2. Maigh Cuilinn, Naomh Anna Leitír Móir, Dunmore MacHales and Monivea-Abbey make up Group 3.

There are no changes to the qualification criteria with the top three in each group advancing to the knockout stages. The four second-placed teams will be drawn to face the third-placed teams at the preliminary quarter-final stage. Group winners await the victors in the last eight. The bottom placed teams in each group will contest relegation semi-finals before the two defeated sides face off in the relegation final. One club will be relegated to Intermediate for 2027.