Cortoon make their class pay against injury-hit rivals

Cortoon Shamrocks 2-11

Mícheál Breathnach 1-5

A dominant second half performance was enough for Cortoon Shamrocks to book their place in the semi-finals of this year’s Galway senior football championship, but they’ll have to improve significantly if they want to go a step further and reach the final.

Paul Bradley’s side ran out nine point winners in the end, but they were made to struggle for large parts against an understrength Mícheál Breathnach side which fielded without essentially the spine of their team.

Their three intercounty players, Seán Denvir, Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa and Fiontán Ó Curraoin, were all missing through injury and they were joined in absentia by the likes of Diarmaid Malone, Tommy Conneely and Pádraig Mac Giolla Bhríde, all of whom would have been strong contenders to start the game.

With that in mind, Mícheál Breathnach deserve praise for stifling Cortoon for so long. The North Galway side had the vast majority of possession but they found it extremely difficult, in the first half in particular, to break down the massed ranks of defenders. The shut-out could only last so long, however, and when Cortoon were finally able to edge ahead midway through the second half, their opponents had no answer.

Cortoon were playing into a stiff breeze in the first half and between the elements and the stout opposition they faced, they were often content to work the ball across the field patiently until a scoring chance arrived. The opening score arrived in the seventh minute thanks to a precise effort from Cathal Mulryan from a narrow angle, giving the first signal of what was to be a sterling performance from the forward.

Mícheál Breathnach weren’t behind for long and defender Barry Ó Conghaile got their first score of the afternoon from the left-wing. They were soon ahead as well when Ó Conghaile and Cian Ó Gríofa combined to set-up Pete Ó Cionnaith, the corner-forward shooting successfully on the turn, 40m from goal.

The Mícheál Breathnach rearguard came perilously close to being breached in the tenth minute when a slick move involving Cathal Mulryan, Adrian Varley and Shane Gleeson saw Joseph Donnellan breakthrough, but his shot across goal cannoned off the underside of the crossbar. Cortoon did get some change out of the move, however, as Martin Boyle was on hand to eventually slot over the rebound.

Cortoon’s patient approach was again on display in the 16th minute when a move, which went back and across their opponents’ 45m line multiple times and must have involved two dozen passes, ended with Donnellan again breaking through the lines and putting his side a point ahead, 0-3 to 0-2. A Joe Conroy point levelled the scores in the 20th minute before Cortoon once more came within inches of a goal.

Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune