A classic, classic Corofin performance.
Bouncebackability is a hallmark of every good team. Corofin have it in spades.
That’s why these lads have three Connacht Championships won in the last five years. That’s why they’ve been one of the most consistent club teams in the country over the last five years.
That’s why they’re now into another All-Ireland final.
They showed exactly that, resilience, character and more on Sunday, when defeating Kildare and Leinster champions Moorefield in the All-Ireland club semi-final on Saturday.
Kevin O’Brien’s side men off to a rocky start in Tullamore. They were down to 14 men just 70 seconds after the ball had been thrown in due to a harmless red card for their full forward Martin Farragher.
But watching on, even then, you just knew it wouldn’t be a death knell for these men. Just like in the Connacht final against Castlebar Mitchels when they lost their spiritual leader Kieran Fitzgerald in the first half, they just took a step back and dusted themselves down.
That man went onto be the man-of-the-match on Sunday.
They didn’t panic, didn’t change anything dramatically. They just stayed playing their own game, their own way. The same went for today.
Their response to Martin Farragher’s adversity was to fight for him, to do it for him. At half-time, the scores were tied at two points apiece, and though it wasn’t pretty to watch, Corofin didn’t look like a team that were facing a numerical disadvantage.
Jason Leonard showed well up top, as did Gary Sice. Their defenders, led by their marauding and hard-working wing back duo of Kieran Molloy and Dylan Wall set the tone with fiery, explosive play.
Micheál Lundy was linking up well with everyone else in a yellow and green jersey from centre forward.
They started the second half brilliantly. Ian Burke came to life up top and by the 46th minute they led by three on a scoreline of 0-5 to to 0-2.
In fairness to Moorefield, they battled hard. They never took a backward step, and through some fabulous long range scores from Cian O’Connor and James Murray, they dogged their way back to 0-5 apiece with the game entering its final ten minutes.
Then, Corofin did what Corofin do.
They went down the other end of the field, without panicking, without rushing anything. From Ronan Steede to Gary Sice and onto Liam Silke, the man who should be playing in a Sigerson Cup final for his college UCD today, he netted the goal that would prove to be the winner.
Indeed, from the first minute to the last, both he and Kieran Molloy – who’s missing out on the college showpiece for NUIG, were two of Corofin’s best players.
Laoch na hImeartha Kieran Fitzgerald
Cad atá le rá aige?#thetoughest@CorofinGAA @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/zQ0lTd8rNy— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 17, 2018
It had to be them, didn’t it? It had to be him. Imagine the banter between the two club mates later on today with the Sigerson final unfolding.
They won with three to spare, on a scoreline of 1-6 to 0-6.
That’s what they do.
