Corofin impress after slow start against Claregalway

Goals from Silke and Joyce for the winners

Corofin 2-19

Claregalway 2-6

By Stephen Glennon

At Kenny Park

TITLE contenders Corofin recovered from a nightmare opening seven minutes, during which they fell seven points behind, to produce a scintillating second half display and defeat Claregalway in their opening Senior Football Championship Group 1 clash on Friday.

Gary Delaney's side looked uncharacteristically flat and were comprehensively outplayed for periods in the opening half, but they rediscovered their trademark fluency after the interval, outscoring Claregalway by a staggering 1-16 to two points to turn the contest on its head and claim a deserved victory.

Claregalway's challenge was not helped by the dismissal of Jason Reilly for an off-the-ball incident on 44 minutes, although the momentum had already swung decisively in Corofin’s favour.

Having managed just two points in the previous 37 minutes, Austin Sammon and Alan Daly’s side were clinging to a slender 2-4 to 1-6 lead when reduced to 14 men.

Corofin ruthlessly exploited their numerical advantage, firing over five two-pointers in the closing quarter through Jason Leonard, Aaron Looney (two), Darragh Silke and Ross Coen, while Silke also finished to the net on 57 minutes.

It capped an emphatic turnaround from Corofin, but Claregalway will reflect on a game that slipped dramatically from their grasp. Their blistering start, built on pace, intensity and clinical finishing, hinted at a side ready to take a significant step forward in their development, only for their challenge to unravel as Corofin asserted their class.

After just 90 seconds, Claregaway carved up a neat goal chance and, while Jack Mullen pushed his effort wide, he made up for it by converting a free moments later and then punching to the net on four minutes.

Three minutes later, Claregalway added another goal through midfielder Dave Tarmey and at 2-1 to no score – and given the enterprising way Claregalway were playing – a shock was on the cards.

However, Claregalway would only score three more points – through Conor Flaherty and a two-point free from Mullen after a Corofin breach – in the remainder of the half, although Mullen did have another goal chance which was saved by Corofin’s Tom Healy.

For their part, Corofin did begin to find some rhythm, but still trailed 2-4 to 1-3 at the interval. Defender Liam Silke and Darragh Silke (free) kicked two points while, in between those scores, Killian Joyce finished off a swift Corofin move to net on 10 minutes.

Yet, Corofin only added one more score in the second quarter – a Darragh Silke free – and, in truth, the half-time break couldn’t come quickly enough for them to reorganise. This they duly did.

By the time of the sending off, they had kicked unanswered points through Darragh Silke and Kieran Molloy (play and 45) and, indeed, it was the likes of Galway star Molloy who was providing real leadership in this period.

Corofin’s next four scores were all two-pointers before Claregalway goalkeeper Eamon McGrath converted a 45 for his side’s first score of the half on 54 minutes.

By the time Claregalway kicked their second through Jack Lonergan, Corofin had added another 1-5, with subs Jack McCabe and Colin Brady also getting in on the act.

COROFIN: T. Healy; C. Silke, L. Silke (0-1), B. Coen; D. McHugh (captain, 0-1), V. Gill, K. Molloy (0-2, 0-1 45); Ciarán Brady, R. Steede; R. Coen (0-2, 0-2 score), D. Silke (1-5, one 0-2 score), J. Leonard (0-2, 0-2 score); K. Joyce (1-0), A. Looney (0-4, two 0-2 scores), S. Canavan. Subs: M. Lundy, for Joyce, half-time; J. McCabe (0-1), for Canavan, half-time; Colin Brady (0-1), for Ciarán Brady, 50 mins; C. Cunningham, for D. Silke, 60+3 mins.

CLAREGALWAY: E. McGrath (0-1, 45); D. Whelan, J. Ramsey, D. Hughes; C. Callaghan, J. Glynn, R. Flaherty; D. Tarmey (1-0), B. Connolly; J. Reilly, E. Monaghan, O. Morgan; J. Lonergan (0-1), C. Flaherty (0-1), J. Mullen (1-3, one 0-2 score, 0-1 free). Subs: D. Fitzmaurice, for Mullen, half-time; G. O’Riordan, for Monaghan, 35 mins; J.P. McLoughlin, for Flaherty, 48 mins; P. Commins for Connolly, 52 mins; D. Cummins, for Morgan, 56 mins.

REFEREE: Patrick Holohan.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Kieran Molloy (Corofin).