Galway champions can complete three-in-a-row of provincial titles
THEY’VE had their moments of concern – most notably in their drawn county final with Mountbellew/Moylough – but yet as we approach the season of the coloured lights, Corofin still remain on course to extend another championship campaign into the following year.
Kevin O’Brien’s charges though will be bracing themselves for a serious challenge on Sunday in Castlebar’s MacHale Park when they take on Mayo champions, Ballintubber, in the Connacht final (2pm), in a tie that will draw the curtain down on the provincial club scene for the calendar year.
It’s another scenario where Corofin go into a final as almost unbackable favourites (1/7) but the same odds were also in place when the All-Ireland champions came within a ‘whistle blow’ of losing out to Mountbellew in the drawn county final on the first Sunday of November.
Corofin though have long since slipped into the Kilkenny hurlers’ category in terms of being ruthless when given a second chance – since that near fatal slip-up in Salthill, the six-in-a-row Galway champions have slipped into a higher gear just when they needed to.
A 1-8 to 0-5 replay victory over Mountbellew was followed by a 4-22 to 0-7 demolition of Roscommon champions, Clann na nGael on Sunday week last in ‘The Hyde’, so the confidence levels will be high in the run-up to this showdown with Ballintubber.
Corofin won’t need any reminding that the standard of club football in Mayo is a fair measure higher than that in Roscommon. Ballintubber – after quite a struggle in their quarter-final joust with Sligo champions Tourlestrane (0-6 to 0-5) – powered past Leitrim’s Aughawillan in the semi-final (3-11 to 1-8).
Under the management of Kevin Johnson, Ballintubber have proven to be a tight defensive unit throughout the Mayo championship with the knack of winning out in tight matches.
They had only one point to spare in the Mayo county final against Breaffy (0-12 to 1-8), relying on a 59th minute ‘super-point’ by Diarmuid O’Connor to swing things their way after conceding an early goal from a penalty.
Cillian O’Connor is the focal point of their attack from both play and frees but centre forward Alan Plunkett can also plunder scores if the space opens up for him while Alan Dillon has buckets of experience in whatever role Kevin Johnson hands out to him.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.