Attack-minded Corofin and Ballintubber to test rival defences in Connacht final

GIVEN both Corofin and Ballintubber seem to be embracing the ethos of ‘goals win games’ in their current campaigns, the Connacht senior club football decider at McHale Park, Castlebar on Sunday (2pm) should be a fascinating spectacle. Usually, finalists play down their strengths heading into a contest of this magnitude – giving little away to the press and, more importantly, the opposition – but, on this occasion, both management teams have been approaching this one with refreshing honesty. Corofin selector Trevor Burke – one of the club’s iconic figures, boasting of 11 county, five Connacht and a precious All-Ireland club medal (1998) – doesn’t shy away from the topic of both sides’ rich goal-scoring form going into this provincial showpiece. “I think Ballintubber have 20 goals and we have 21 goals scored in our [respective] championship games so it will be interesting to see from a sideline point of view how both teams will go about trying to curb opportunities for goals. It could turn out to be a defensive enough sort of scenario but you would be hoping it will be open football. “We are under no illusions though. We have a huge task ahead of ourselves. Cillian O’Connor is probably one of the best players in the country at the moment and Alan Dillon has been one of the country’s top five players the last number of years,” says 41-year-old Burke who, just recently, played a key part in Galway’s All-Ireland Masters victory. With Corofin rampaging their way to a 16th county senior title – and dismissing Aughawillan of Leitrim with the utmost of ease in their Connacht semi-final – this joust with the Mayo champions will, beyond doubt, be their stiffest test of 2014. It’s not lost on Burke. “We could only play what has come up against us but you could say that this is the test on Sunday. Ballintubber have beaten the runners-up of the All-Ireland club final 2014 (Castlebar Mitchells) and then the All-Ireland champions of 2013 (St. Brigid’s) last day out. So, you won’t get a bigger test than this.” Of course, when these two last met in the Connacht championship in 2011, there was only a single point between them – Corofin seizing the day on a 1-11 to 2-7 scoreline. It was a game though that Mayo ace O’Connor finished with a personal tally of 2-3. “Yeah, there was only a point between us last time out and Ballintubber probably feel a bit hard done by with that result because Cillian missed a goal where he mis-kicked the ball late on and I think Daithí Burke might have come back and dispossessed him for another one. “So, there was nothing between the two teams back then and we were lucky to get out of the lion’s den on that occasion. We are not expecting any different from them this time around. It will be very similar and if we can get out with a point win, we will be happy.” For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.