Corofin rally from tough start to fend off Ballintubber

COROFIN 2-10

BALLINTUBBER 1-9

COROFIN just don’t do panic no matter how grim their situation seems to be. After being outgunned in most positions of the pitch during the opening 30 minutes of last Sunday’s Connacht Final at MacHale Park, they then proceeded to wipe out the opposition with a series of second-half power plays.

It was slightly difficult to fathom how a team that looked to be in such serious trouble at the interval, could then have the game wrapped up with 10 minutes still left on the clock, but when Corofin get into their stride they are one serious footballing machine.

As football games go – and in the context of the dour nature of the Galway county final – this senior provincial decider did manage to tick a lot of the boxes as regards entertainment value for the estimated crowd of 3,500.

Ballintubber contributed fulsomely to this process, producing a lively display of first-half attacking football during which they had Corofin very much on the back foot – into the bargain the Mayo champions also landed some classic scores.

Corofin’s first-half troubles did not seem to be easily resolvable. The Galway champions could only secure snippets of midfield possession; their attacks tended to be delayed and too lateral; while their defence was often stretched by the pace and directness of the Ballintubber attacks.

Even when Corofin looked to have unexpectedly turned things around against the run of play, with a wonder goal from Micheál Lundy in the 25th minute to nose in front for the first time in the match (1-2 to 0-4), their scoreline superiority was destined to be short-lived.

Less than three minutes later, Jamsie Finnerty, punished some uncharacteristic loose marking in the Corofin defence to neatly fire low past Bernard Power for a goal that gave the home side a deserved three-point interval advantage of 1-5 to 1-2.

All of the first half scores came from play with the quality of the Ballintubber points all of the highest order, coming from Cillian O’Connor (2), Alan Dillon, Jason Gibbons and Alan Plunkett.

Corofin’s two first-half points came from Colin Brady and Martin Farragher but in general the winners’ attack found it difficult to break down a well organised and focused Ballintubber defence.

For more,  read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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