Classy Corofin back on top in U-21 Football

Date Published: {J}

Dara Bradley atPearse Stadium

THEY may not have been the popular choice of champions but Corofin certainly earned and deserve the tag.

Normal service has resumed in the U21 Championship after Corofin returned to the top of the pecking order in Galway again after a few years absence by overcoming the strong challenge of Oughterard in an exciting county A final at Pearse Stadium on Saturday.

Most neutrals gathered in the large crowd at Salthill would have loved to have seen Oughterard – gunning for their first title at this level in 36 years – emerge on top but the reality was that, on the day, Corofin were the better balanced outfit and worthy winners.

That’s not to say the North Galway kingpins were miles ahead of their Connemara rivals – far from it – it’s just Corofin’s experience of big matches seemed to stand to them and they kept their composure when the going got tough. As for Oughterard, it was a case of too many big names producing too few big performances.

Of course Brian Silke’s men had a little bit of luck, too. Corofin’s first goal on 20 minutes should never have stood – the movement in the build-up to the green flag should have been halted where it started on Corofin’s ‘40 and a free-in awarded for Oughterard. The foul wasn’t picked up. The goal stood. Them’s the breaks.

Later on with a few minutes plus injury time remaining, Oughterard were trailing by three points and were piling on the pressure but missed two chances to heap further strain on Corofin’s tenuous lead. In the crucial closing stages Oughterard lost their nerve, sending wide a free kick and dropping another effort short into ‘keeper Bernard Power’s paws. Not good enough at this level.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.