Corofin overtake Mitchels in extra-time
DEFENDING champions Corofin outscored Castlebar Mitchels by 0-6 to 0-2 in 20 minutes of extra-time to deservedly retain their Connaught senior football club title today, but not before the Mayo champions pushed them all the way in a tough but highly entertaining final played in very testing condtions at Tuam Stadium.
The margin could have been even wider but for a fine save from the penalty spot by Rory Byrne in the first period of extra-time to keep the hopes of a battling Mitchels side alive.
Ultimately, it was the fresher legs of the Corofin bench which pushed them over the winning line, but the defending champions came close to blowing a game they had the winning of in normal time.
Trailing at one stage by five points in normal time - 2-8 to 1-10 - it did look as if the Mitchels had run their race, but, and not for the first time, the character of the team came into play as they chisseled away at the Corofin lead, a late point from a free from David Stenson forcing two periods of extra-time.
It was in the first period that Corofin turned the screw on a visibly tiring Castlebar side, fresh legs giving the champions the impetus as they rattled off three points, with Gary Sice, Ronan Steed and Jason Leonard on target, and a Stenson free keeping Mitchels hanging in at 2-10 to 1-11.
However, the second period of extra-time saw the Galway side really take control as Sice nailed an early free and substitute Barry O'Donoavan made it a four-point game, and that was the margin that seperated the sides in the end as Martin Farragher pushed the gap to five, a late free from Neil Douglas the only reward for Castlebar in that second period of extra-time.
It began well for Mitchels, who had the ball in the Corofin net inside the opeing minute, a slick move started by Kirby and involving Cian Costello and Douglas setting up Aidan Walsh for an easy tap-in goal.
But the books were soon balanced as Corofin came with a fine goal of their own from Colin Brady as the sides were level on three occasions.
However, Castlebar were caught napping when a quick Corofin free produced their second goal, Michael Lundy, a man who had an appendix operation just eight days ago, providing the finish on 28 minutes to give his side an interval lead of 2-4 to 1-3.
An early point from Leonard extended that lead to five early in the second half but to their credit, Castlebar clawed their way back from the precipice, Eoghan O'Reilly producing an inspirational point and Neil Douglas now making a major impact up front.
But it still looked to be Corofin's title as they led by by three - 2-7 to 1-7- nine minutes from the end of normal time.
A fine point from Stenson and an injury-time score from Douglas had the gap back to the minimum and it was Stenson who held his nerve to land a free in the third minute of injury-time to send this game to extra-time - 2-7 to 1-10.
But the heavy ptich was beginning to sap the energy from those Castlebar legs as they trailed by 2-10 to 1-11 at the end of the first period of extra-time, Byrne saving that penalty to keep them hanging in.
However, it was Corofin who had the momentum and the energy in the second period of extra-time as they kept the ball, a phase of 30 passes at one stage an indication of just how good they were at keeping possession.
Final score: Corofin 2-13, Castebar Mitchels 1-12
Corofin: B. Power, C. McGrath, K. Fitzgerald, L. Silke, D. Wall, C. Cunningham, K. Molloy, Michael Farragher, R. Steede (0-1), M. Lundy (1-0), G. Sice (0-3, 2f), J. Leonard (0-5, 3f), C. Brady (1-1), Martin Farragher (0-2), I. Burke.
Subs used: C Silke for Fitzgerald (21), D. Burke for Brady (53), J. Burke for Martin Farragher (57), D. McHugh for Molloy (57), B. O’Donovan (0-1) for Lundy (62), C. Brady for Wall (63), K. Murphy for McGrath (65), K. Molloy for Cunninghan (73), Martin Farragher for J. Burke (79).
Castlebar Mitchels: R. Byrne, D. Newcombe, G. McDonagh, R. O’Malley, J. Maughan, E. O’Reilly (0-1), P. Durcan, A. Walsh (1-0), B. Moran, C. Costello, D. Kirby, S. Hopkins, D. Stenson (0-7, 5f), N. Douglas (0-4, 1f), J. Durcan.
Subs used: S. Irwin for Maughan (33), N. McCarney for Hopkins (48), M. Towey for Walsh (72), C. Kyne for Costello (74), M. McCormack for McCarney (78, BC).
Referee: M. Duffy (Sligo).