Mitchels dethrone champions to bag fourth provincial title

 

 

Castlebar Mitchels .... 2-10 

Corofin .......................0-11

 

A DEFENSIVE blockade, combined with a man of the match performance at midfield from Barry Moran, laid the foundations for a stunning victory by Castlebar Mitchels over Corofin in the Connaught Club SFC final a day stolen from autumn before a crowd of close to 8,000 at Tuam.

Although Corofin had to play with 14-men for the last quarter after Martin Farragher picked up a second yellow card, Castlebar had taken control of the game at that stage and were leading by 2-8 to 0-10, a cracking 20-yard bullet from Neil Douglas stamping the class and authority of the Mayo champions on this tie.

Tired legs after a long season and a heavy pitch may have provided some excuses for the reigning Connaught and All-Ireland champions failing to perform to the same level as last season when they swept every team aside.

Bbut, in truth, it was the greater hunger and desire  of Castlebar, who had leaders all over the pitch, which fired them to their fourth provincial title and second in two years.

The sides were level at half-time - 1-5 to 0-8 - but Castlebar were the better team but failed to reflect their superiority on the scoreboard.

They fell two points behind but a superb goal from Barry Moran, who was put through by Danny Kirby, saw Mitchels fire into a 1-1 to 0-2  lead. 

They were never behind after that, the freetkaing of Gary Sice and Martin Farragher keeping Corofiin in touch, the levelling point from Farragher coming just on the half-time mark.

But Corofin were only to raise three white flags in the second half and were denied the goal they needed by a Castlebar defence superby marshalled by Paddy Durcan, Tom Cunniffe and Eoghan O'Reilly.

Castlebar had edged into the lead thanks to a Neil Douglas point and minutes later the same player hit the net with a screamer.

And there was no way back for the Galway champion as Castlebar kicked on to go six clear at one stage, Barry Moran finishing with 1-2.

The Mitchels bench, notably James Durcan, Stephen Keane, Fergal Durkan and Sean Conlon, helping in the final push over the winning line and they now await the winners from Ulster in the All-Ireland semi-final in February.

Castlebar Mitchels: R. Byrne, T. Cunniffe, D. Newcombe, A. Feeney, R. O’Malley, E. O’Reilly (0-1, 1f), P. Durcan, G. McDonagh, B. Moran (1-2), S. Hopkins (0-1), N. Lydon (0-1), N. Douglas (1-3, 1f), C. Costello, D. Kirby, R. Feeney (0-1).

Subs used: A. Walsh for McDonagh (35), J. Durcan for Costello (38), F. Durkin for Hopkins (44), S. Conlon for Newcombe (47), S. Keane (0-1) for Lydon (51 BC), R. Burke for R Feeney (60)

Corofin: T. Healy, L. Silke, K. Fitzgerald (0-1), C. McGrath, C. Cunningham, P. Kelly, A. Burke, G. Higgins, R. Steede (0-1), G. Sice (0-3, 3f), Michael Farragher, D. Wall (0-1), Martin Farragher (0-4, 2f) , M. Lundy, I Burke (0-1).

Subs used: D. Burke for Higgins (34), C. Silke for McGrath (46), K. Molloy for Cunningham (46), J. Leonard for Lundy (55, BC)

Referee: E. O’Grady (Leitrim)