Landslide wins leave Corofin vulnerable in Connacht final

Inside Track with John McIntyre

IT might seem a strange observation to make about a team which has won its last three knock-out championship games by landslide margins, but Corofin footballers are heading into really dangerous now. Untested in 2014, the Galway title holders face a major step up in class on Sunday week and, potentially, could be seriously undercooked for that challenge.

Of course, it’s not Corofin’s fault that they’ve been running rings all opponents which have barred their path in the championship so far this year, but the lack of competition in reaching the Connacht Club final leaves them vulnerable in terms of physical and mental preparedness. If ever a team was being set up for a fall, Stephen Rochford’s charges look prime candidates.

Remember Dublin at county level in 2014. Romping home in all of their games in their Leinster campaign before trouncing Monaghan led to widespread assumptions that they were All-Ireland champions in waiting. Going forward, they were nearly untouchable, but they had never been in a battle until that epic semi-final against Donegal. Taken out of their comfort zone and forced on the retreat, the Dubs developed fault lines that few thought existed. They had become so used to outplaying teams that when it came to taken on one which was superbly tactically prepared and in no mood to surrender, they struggled badly to cope.

We can draw the same parallel with Corofin although still have to face their high noon encounter with Ballintubber on Sunday week. Already installed as joint favourites to lift the Tommy Moore Cup next March, their players could be forgiven for thinking that they are on a different level to everyone else. After all, they won the Galway semi-final by 24 points; the county final by 18 points; and the Connacht Club semi-final by a scarcely believable 35 points.

Granted, it shows how ruthless Corofin can be against hapless opponents who are not fit to lace their boots, but those series of mis-matches are hardly doing them any favours ahead of travelling to Castlebar in ten days time to face Cillian O’Connor and the talented Mayo champions. Ballintubber are no novices at this level and will draw great heart from their battling victory over former All-Ireland winners St. Brigid’s last Sunday.

While Corofin were running up a cricket score against Aughawillan in Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballintubber had to roll up their sleeves to eventually get the better of the Roscommon men in their high intensity semi-final. First half goals from Padraig O’Connor and Alan Plunkett helped them to lead by three at the interval, but Brigid’s came storming back and midfielder Karol Mannion’s green flag in the 44th minute edged them in front. However, Ballintubber didn’t flinch and Cillian O’Connor’s rasper to the net ultimately saw them squeeze home after an absorbing contest.

In contrast, Corofin could possibly have sent out their third team and still overcame Aughawillan, who utterly flattered to deceive after a gritty opening which saw them trail by only 0-5 to 0-3 after 15 minutes. From there on, however, it turned into a day of horrors for the Leitrim men. They were eight down at the break before collapsing altogether on the resumption. Corofin simply went to town as they repeatedly punched big holes in the home side’s defence in amassing seven goals, three of when came from county player Michael Lundy.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.