Towering Cullinane display almost sinks Corofin

Corofin 0-11Claregalway 0-11

Alan Dooley atTuam Stadium

DESPITE being two points to the good as this entertaining senior football championship quarter final entered injury time, in truth it would have been a travesty if Corofin had emerged victorious, but Claregalway deservedly managed to snatch a replay from the jaws of defeat when Conor Glynn kicked the equalising point deep into stoppage time at Tuam Stadium.

Claregalway were a side transformed from the mediocrity of last weekend’s efforts against NUIG, purposeful and full of intelligent running, with county minor Sean Moran having a major impact and Adrian Faherty coming good when the need was greatest. However, despite their relief at the final whistle, this was a game they really should have won and, like Bearna before them, they may yet regret not putting Corofin to the sword.

Despite being four behind at the break, Claregalway had acquitted themselves admirably and when, led by some majestic midfield play from Barry Cullinane, they tore into a sometimes lethargic Corofin in the third quarter it appeared as if a major upset was on the cards. Unfortunately, despite dominating territory and possession, the scores didn’t flow for Eoin O’Donnellan’s men.

When Corofin then edged two clear thanks to Alan O’Donovan’s 48th minute free, their first score of the half, normality appeared to have been restored but Claregalway steadfastly refused to fold. Faherty bludgeoned over a point within a minute to leave the deficit at a minimum before O’Donovan dragged what was for him a routine free wide.

Claregalway snatched at chances to level when composure was needed before Tomas Costello, not long on as a Corofin substitute, split the posts with a fine left footed effort. The Corofin of old would undoubtedly have closed out this game from here, but this is not the Corofin of old. They may still have the class, but Claregalway had the legs and they continued to surge forward in waves.

In the last minute of stoppage time, they attempted to work the ball into a goalscoring opportunity, fearful of hearing the final whistle, but Faherty’s piledriver rose high and over the bar. Possession was once more secured, though, and Glynn drove forward from half back, getting ever nearer the posts, searching desperately for a colleague in space to no avail, until he had no choice but to shoot himself, dramatically kicking high and true from an acute angle.

We should never have doubted Glynn, really, considering he had already gotten on the scoresheet in the first half, one in which Corofin pulled clear in the closing stages but needed to, given they were playing into the scoring Town End with the aid of a cross-field breeze. Corofin lacked fluidity in attack, though, and were mostly reliant on defenders raiding forward to good effect.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.