- All-Ireland semi-final results
- Corofin (Galway) 1-10 Nemo Rangers (Cork) 0-7
- Kilcoo (Down) 2-8 Ballyboden St-Enda’s (Dublin) 0-11
1. Another special goal sets Corofin on their way to Croke Park
During the relentless run of success they have enjoyed of late, Corofin have produced some sublime goals when it has mattered most. The team moves that yielded goals from Michael Farragher (2018) and Gary Sice (2019) adorned the displays on All-Ireland final day for the Galway club.
Their latest victory in the All-Ireland series only delivered one goal but it was a strike to savour. Micheál Lundy applied the finishing touch to the work of Gary Sice and Martin Farragher in showcasing the mixture of accurate kick-passing, movement and style that make Corofin so difficult to stop.
They raised a green flag after just 33 seconds on the clock yesterday in Ennis and that was the launchpad for another semi-final success for this club heavyweight.
Micheál Lundy scores within a minute for @CorofinGAA !! pic.twitter.com/6l3m1H5B4y
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 4, 2020
2. Mickey Moran and Kilcoo chasing elusive All-Ireland club crown
Before Mickey Moran took charge of Kilcoo the club hadn’t yet an Ulster title to their name, having lost the 2012 and 2016 deciders. The players sought out Moran last winter and in his first campaign he has led them to county and provincial glory.
Yesterday’s 2-8 to 0-11 win over favourites Ballyboden St Enda’s sent the village side through to their maiden All-Ireland final against the might of Corofin.
Having brought Slaughtneil to two All-Ireland deciders, Moran will be hoping to add a trophy that has so far eluded him in his illustrious career.
3. More All-Ireland disappointment for Nemo Rangers
The scoreline did not look as devastating as their 2017 final loss at the hands of Corofin but this was still another day where Nemo Rangers could not match their Galway counterparts. Their slow start was costly, the concession of that early goal ending a run of six consecutive clean sheets in championship games.
Nemo squandered too many chances in front of goal, if they were to spring a surprise they needed to show a far more clinical edge but the wides racked up from the start. They have enjoyed an excellent record in Cork and Munster recently but the All-Ireland stage has seen them consistently hit a roadblock.
4. Ballyboden St Enda’s fail to complete another comeback
Ballyboden made a habit of pulling off some great escapes during this campaign.
Anthony Rainbow’s side scraped over the line after extra-time against Na Fianna and overturned a six-point half-time deficit to defeat St Jude’s in Dublin. Their Leinster campaign included a late flurry to see-off Newtown Blues and a dramatic win at the death in the final against Eire Og.
Trailing by five points in the final quarter here, ‘Boden laid siege to the Kilcoo defence and while they reduced the gap to two, a couple of poor wides let the Down side off the hook. Black cards to Michael Dara Macauley and Aran Waters didn’t help their case.
The Dublin side left themselves with too much work to do this time around and are left to rue their missed chances.
5. Corofin’s shot at history with Moran in opposition again
No club has managed to complete three-in-a-row at All-Ireland senior football level – Crossmaglen (twice), St Finbarr’s and UCD are the only outfits other than Corofin to achieve back-to-back crowns. The Armagh giants came close in 2013 before bowing out the semi-final stage but Corofin have gone one step closer on the back of yesterday’s triumph to be within a victory of creating history.
Standing in their path on 19 January is a familiar sideline figure. When this Corofin generation made their breakthrough in 2015 on St Patrick’s Day, Mickey Moran was at the helm of Slaughtneil. Now he’s supervising Down’s Kilcoo, the last obstacle for Corofin to surmount as they aim to create history.
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