In a thrilling showdown at Pearse Stadium in Salthill, our senior players faced off against Corofin in the Galway Senior Football Championship final. Despite a valiant effort, we narrowly missed out on retaining our title, falling short by a final score of Corofin 1-11 Maigh Cuilinn 1-09.
The match was closely contested from start to finish, with both teams displaying tremendous determination and skill throughout. Maigh Cuilinn was dealt a significant blow prior to the game as we lost Seán Kelly to injury. Despite this setback, our players showed immense heart and commitment on the field.
In the opening half, Maigh Cuilinn played with the wind, and it was a tight affair, with the scoreline never seeing more than a one-point difference between the sides. Scores from Peter Cooke and Owen Gallagher, who picked off crucial points, while Dessie Conneely converted a free, and James McLaughlin added one from distance.
On the other side, Corofin’s veteran Gary Sice made his presence felt, contributing both from frees and open play, with players like Dylan Wall, Tony Gill, Liam Silke, and Patrick Egan also finding the target. As the first half concluded, Kieran Molloy’s point put Corofin ahead, with the score reading 0-07 to 0-06 in their favour.
The second half saw Corofin take control, with Sice kicking crucial frees to put them ahead by two points for the first time in the match. A turnover by Patrick Egan led to a swift counter-attack that culminated in Liam Silke’s point, extending the lead to 0-11 to 0-7 after 45 minutes.
Corofin then took a significant step towards victory when Liam Silke found Tony Gill, who confidently dispatched the ball into the net from close range, bringing the score to 1-11 to 0-7 with ten minutes left on the clock.
While Maigh Cuilinn rallied late in the game, with Johnny Moloney scoring a goal and a point, the gap remained too wide to bridge. Despite a late 20-meter free from Dessie Conneely that sailed over the bar, Maigh Cuilinn couldn’t salvage our title.
In the end, Corofin emerged as deserving champions, with their captain Dylan McHugh lifting the cup. We thank our players for their dedication and never-say-die attitude throughout the match. Thank you to all the loyal supporters who gave such great support all season.
Corofin: Bernard Power; Liam Silke (0-02), Conor Cunningham, Cathal Silke; Kieran Molloy (0-01), Dylan McHugh, Gavin Burke; Ciaran Brady, Patrick Egan (0-01); Brian Cogger, Dylan Wall (0-01), Tony Gill (1-01); Darragh Silke, Gary Sice (0-05, 0-04f), Jack McCabe.
Substitutes: Mike Farragher for D Silke (37), Michael Lundy for McCabe (37), Glen McHugh for Ciaran Brady (58), Martin Farragher for Wall (61).
Maigh Cuilinn: Andrew Power; Conor Corcoran, Eoghan Kelly, Neil Mulcahy; Johnny Moloney (1-01), David Wynne, Aidan Claffey; James McLaughlin (0-02), Ger Davoren; Peter Cooke (0-02), Tomas Cleary, Michael Maughan; Owen Gallagher (0-02), Paul Kelly, Dessie Conneely (0-02f).
Substitutes: Micheal O’Reilly for Maughan (33), Donal Cox for Cleary (45), Neil Walsh for P Kelly (58), Mark Lydon for Claffey (63).
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Annaghdown).
