AS THE PLAUDITS rained down on Corofin’s players on Saturday and the default reaction was to admire the splendour of the play they had produced, it was worth noting the route they had journeyed to become champions.
Collecting two All-Ireland titles in four years sees Corofin move into exalted company on the overall roll of honour, joining St Vincent’s and St Finbarr’s on three titles apiece. Nemo Rangers on seven and Crossmaglen Rangers on six are still clear of the rest but Corofin are in the elite ranks now with three crowns.
The current Corofin setup have surpassed their club’s trailblazers from 1998 and yet this wave of success will not erase the memories of some hard days. They lost an All-Ireland semi-final to Kilmacud Crokes in 2009 and an extra-time defeat arrived at the same stage twelve months later against St Galls.
Bernard Power, Ciaran McGrath, Kieran Fitzgerald, Gary Sice, Cathal Silke, Michael Farragher and Ronan Steede all played some part in those losses and are still knocking around now.
Afterwards Corofin suffered a controversial Connacht final loss in 2011 to St Brigid’s and there were some wounding provincial reversals at the hands of Castlebar Mitchels as well. Yet the 2015 St Patrick’s Day win over Slaughtneil was a landmark one and they affirmed their greatness as a club outfit on Saturday.
Only 11 previous All-Ireland club final victories had been by double-digit margins which illustrates the impressive nature of Corofin’s win. They bettered their 10-point success of 2015 and were 15 points superior than a club who are the standard bearers with seven titles as they stand at the peak of national club football.
The current Nemo Rangers team may not have had major final day experience – Paul Kerrigan, Barry O’Driscoll and Colin O’Brien the three survivors from the 2008 decider against St Vincent’s – but the Cork outfit had negotiated the significant hurdles posed by the 2017 champions (Dr Crokes) along with the 2015 and 2017 finalists (Slaughtneil) en route to Saturday. They had impressed and for the contest to be reduced to such a lopsided affair was a testament to the masterclass Corofin produced.
Corofin’s two first-half goals encapsulated all the elements that make them so strong. The first in the 7th minute originated with Kieran Fitzgerald getting a hand in to cut out a Nemo delivery, breaking forward to take a hand pass and moving the ball accurately with his left foot.
Martin Farragher’s movement had taken him to the left wing before he swivelled and fed Ian Burke. At this juncture the Nemo defenders retreating outnumbered the forwards Corofin had to work with but Gary Sice took one angle of running off the ball to collect off Burke and then stepped in another direction when in possession. His shot was true and decisive from 20 yards out to leave the ball nestling in the far corner of the net.
Their second goal in the 21st minute was simply stunning and a complete team effort. A stray Nemo Rangers pass was seized on by Daithi Burke at midfield. What followed over the next 52 seconds was a sublime team move featuring 15 hand passes and a single kick pass that culminated in Michael Farragher planting the ball in the net for Corofin’s second goal. The swiftness of the deliveries, the composure in possession and the array of runs at different angles was mesmerising to watch.
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Nine different players were involved. Daithi Burke who won the turnover was involved on five occasions, goalscorer Farragher three times. It was the critical score and confirmed the outcome of this game with only a third of normal time elapsed.
Corofin finished the day having amassed 2-19 with 2-17 arriving from play. Eight different players were sources of scores, including all six starting forwards. It was a day where they expressed themselves fully.
They have memories of a nerve-jangling county semi-final last autumn when Annaghdown had them on the ropes. The Connacht circuit tested them fully with four-point wins over St Brigid’s and Castlebar only secured after extra-time in games which conjured up plenty of anxiety and doubts.
But on the biggest stage in club football, Corofin hit full speed from the outset to make their mark. The process of regeneration since 2015 points to a promising future. From Saturday’s starting side Power, Kieran Molloy, Dylan Wall and Jason Leonard did not feature three years ago while five of the subs they brought on were also sampling All-Ireland club final day for the first time.
The common question after All-Ireland club final wins is what knock-on effect will this have for the county team in the summer ahead? Kevin Walsh can point to a hugely positive spring to date, Galway already assured of a Division 1 league final place before throw-in yesterday in Salthill and the subsequent draw against Dublin ensuring they are unbeaten this year against all four of the 2017 All-Ireland semi-finalists.
But Walsh did use Power, Liam Silke, Ian Burke and Michael Farragher in Galway’s 2017 championship exit against Kerry.
Micheal Lundy has previous inter-county experience while Dylan Wall and Kieran Molloy have made persuasive cases with their club performances.
Corofin’s form brings a bunch of players onto Walsh’s radar. With All-Ireland medals in their pockets, they could make more decisive contributions for Galway football before 2018 has concluded.
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