Corofin 0-16
Salthill-Knocknacarra 0-11
Declan Rooney reports from Pearse Stadium
Kieran Fitzgerald became the first Galway player to start and win 11 county finals as Corofin ran out easy winners in the Galway SFC decider.
Nine points from Jason Leonard and two each from Micheal Lundy, Ian Burke and Michael Farragher saw Corofin ease to their 18th senior crown and their eighth in the last 11 years.
The loss of Gary Sice due to a hamstring injury was softened by the return of Lundy for his first start since he returned from America, and the Galway senior was off the mark after 25 seconds.
Ian Burke and Michael Farragher soon joined him on the scoresheet as Corofin raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after as many minutes, but with Sean Armstrong in inspirational form at the other end Salthill-Knocknacarra kept in touch.
Armstrong kicked four points before the break and Tadhg Haran added one from a free, but Corofin also had Leonard to rely on, and he landed five before the interval as Corfin were well worth their 0-11 to 0-5 lead at the midway point.
Galway minor start Robert Finnerty had done well from open play in the opening half, but it wasn’t until the 35th minute that he kicked his first point – a free – that trimmed Corofin’s lead to five.
After a brilliant score from Armstrong was added to by a pair of frees from Finnerty, Salthill were only three points behind, but at the other end Leonard continued to add to his personal tally.
Points number seven and eight arrived for Leonard as he extended the lead to five again, and once wing-back Kieran Molloy pointed there was no way back for Salthill-Knocknacarra.
Scorers for Corofin: J Leonard 0-9 (4f), M Lundy, M Farragher, I Burke 0-2 each, K Molloy 0-1.
Scorers for Salthill-Knocknacarra: S Armstrong 0-6 (2f), R Finnerty 0-4 (3f), T Haran 0-1 (1f).
Corofin
1 Brendan Power
20 Conor Cunningham
4 Liam Silke
2 Cathal Silke
3 Kieran Fitzgerald
6 Ciaran McGrath
5 Kieran Molloy
8 Daithi Burke
9 Ronan Steede
12 Barry O’Donovan
11 Dylan Wall
15 Jason Leonard
19 Michael Lundy
14 Michael Farragher
13 Ian Burke
Subs:
7 Alan Burke for O’Donovan (32-38 blood & 44)
24 Colin Brady for Wall (56)
21 Kevin Murphy for Leonard (61)
23 Dylan Canney for Lundy (64)
22 Ciaran Brady for Fitzgerald (65)
Salthill-Knocknacarra
1 Evan Duffy
17 Evan Wynne
3 Finian Hanley
7 Conor Halloran
6 Ruaidhri McTiernan
5 William Finnerty
4 Gavin Duffy
8 Barry Kelly
19 Conor Healy
9 John Maher
10 Robert Butler
11 Tadhg Haran
13 Rob Finnerty
12 Marcus MacDonnacha
34 Sean Armstrong
Subs:
25 Brian Conlon for Armstrong (32-35 blood)
15 Gary Cox for Butler (42)
2 Jack Killeen for W Finnerty (52)
20 Peter Killeen for Maher (60)~
18 Shane Kelly for MacDonncha (60)
Referee: Tomas O Fatharta (Galway).
