Defiant Milltown get stuck in and almost floor champions

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By Eanna O’Reilly at Tuam Stadium

COROFIN’S staying power proved invaluable as the champions snatched a draw in a game which was slipping away from them at Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening.

An excellent second half performance from Milltown looked like it would be enough to take the spoils, but the champions’ spirit was never broken, and three late scores saw Corofin take a share of the points.

In a very entertaining contest, it was Milltown who came flying out of the blocks, racing into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after five minutes. Mark Hehir and Michael Martin pointed two frees, either side of a good score from Liam Costello.

Darragh Silke got Corofin off the mark with his first free, after a foul on Liam Silke. Milltown soon restored their three point lead, when Costello kicked his second point, after cutting in from the right corner.

The defending champions steadied themselves and tallied five consecutive points during the next ten minutes. Dylan McHugh sent over two quality scores in quick succession, before Darragh Silke pointed from a tight angle in the left corner.

Jack McCabe kicked an excellent score from the left wing, before Silke converted a ’45 as Corofin made the most of their purple patch. Hehir pointed a free for Milltown at the other end, but the title holders then struck for 1-2 during the next five minutes.

Michéal Lundy kicked a good score from the left wing, before Ciaran Brady fisted over a point, after a good move involving McHugh and Martin Farragher. Corofin led by 0-8 to 0-5 and soon had the ball in the Milltown net.

A superbly well worked score saw Dylan Canney open up the Milltown defence with an excellent pass to Darragh Silke, who played the ball across the square to the inrushing Kieran Molloy, who fisted the ball home.

Milltown, to their credit, didn’t fold, and tallied two points before half time. Both came from the boot of Costello, who was on fire in attack. Canney pointed a close range free at the other end for Corofin during the same period to leave Gary Delaney’s charges ahead on a 1-9 to 0-7 scoreline at the interval.

The champions extended their lead early in the second half, with a point from McCabe. Eoin Godwin’s charges then raised their game substantially and took over the contest, outscoring Corofin by 1-6 to 0-1 during the next 15 minutes.

Eoin Mannion kicked a good point from the left wing to spark Milltown’s scoring burst. Martin and Hehir pointed frees, either side of a Gavin Burke score for Corofin at the other end. Martin soon sent over an excellent two pointer from a free on the right wing.

Milltown then struck for a goal, when Costello broke inside the Corofin defence, before playing the ball across the square to Mannion. After initially blasting a shot off the crossbar, the rebound fell straight back into Mannion’s hands and he made no mistake the second time, firing into the roof of the net.

Pictured: Milltown's Liam Costello has Kieran Molloy of Corofin in hot pursuit during the clubs' Senior Football Group 4 encounter at Tuam Stadium on Saturday. Photo: David Cunniffe.