Corofin coast home against Exiles

Date Published: 22-Jan-2009

GALWAY football champions Corofin progressed as expected to the semi-final of the All-Ireland Club championship after a thoroughly deserved seven-point victory over London’s Tir Chonaill Gaels at a blustery Ruislip last Sunday.

Despite some extremely wet underfoot conditions, the game exploded into life from the throw-in when Gary McCloskey won the ball and fed it immediately to Kevin Downes who opened the scoring with a point in Tir Chonaill Gaels’ first attack.

However, within the opening ten minutes Corofin, despite playing against a strong wind, had taken a firm grip of the match. A hastily taken free by goal-keeper Brian McBrearty saw his intended pass for Gary Kane easily intercepted by Greg Higgins who had the simplest of chances for a Corofin goal in their first attack after only three minutes.

After an Alan O’Donovan pointed free gave the visitors a three-point lead after eight minutes, the Gaels were once again guilty of another serious defensive lapse two minutes later when midfielder Aidan Donnellan took full advantage of a lucky bounce from a throw-in to ‘rifle’ home an unstoppable second Corofin goal.

Tir Chonaill Gaels, who…