Exciting climax on cards to Galway football title race
Date Published: {J}
AN unforgettable Galway senior club football championship that was dogged by delays through appeals and replays comes to a climax in the county final this Sunday in Tuam Stadium (throw-in, 3pm) with an intriguing North Galway derby between the kingpins of the modern era, Corofin, and the traditional powerhouse and most successful Galway club, Tuam Stars.
Corofin, in their fourth final in-a-row, are bidding to secure their 14th county title and 11th Frank Fox Cup since 1991; while the challengers, Tuam, are seeking to return to the glory days of old and take their first county title since 1994.
That year, Tuam defeated Corofin to claim their 24th title but 12 months later Corofin got their own back, when dethroning the champs to win 2-8 to 0-11 with the help of a penalty save from ‘keeper Martin McNamara.
When Corofin were gunning for an unprecedented three-in-a-row of senior crowns last year and ultimately fell to Killererin at Pearse Stadium, the widespread theory was that Corofin were a tired team and hadn’t the legs for another tilt at glory.
That jibe has no doubt spurred them on this year and – while they have been far from impressive in their march to the final – Corofin will be anxious to dispel the charge that they are ‘passed it’. Before writing them off we must remember, too, Corofin lost by just two points and were unlucky with a few decisions on the day. They’ll have no added ‘three-in-a-row’ pressure this year either.
Corofin are far from a spent force but they haven’t set the world alight this year: They just about got over Micheál Breathnach; struggled against Barna and needed extra time; struggled again in their draw with Claregalway before pulling-away in the replay.
They did have a fairly comprehensive victory over Milltown in the semi-final although there must now be question marks over the quality of the opposition on the day. But that’s what Corofin do: stutter all the way to the final and then grind out narrow victories in the county showpiece.
They are the bookies’ favourites but it’s been five weeks since their last outing, and manager Brian Silke, in his first year in charge, admits it has been difficult to keep the lads’ motivated and focused because of not knowing when they would be out in the final. The decision to agree to play the semi-final early appears to have backfired.
“It has been difficult mentally and physically. We’ve had over 100 training sessions since January and then you end up playing in the mud in October. It’s a joke but it’s not just a Galway problem, it’s countrywide. The draws meant the final kept changing – we thought it would be Sunday and then it was the following Sunday and then the next, so it’s been difficult,” said Silke. The fixtures problem meant Corofin could have just one challenge match in the past five weeks, against Mullingar Shamrocks.
For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.