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Corofin have player sent-off in 2nd minute but late Silke goal seals All-Ireland final spot

Three-point win for the Galway champions over Moorefield in Tullamore.

Corofin 1-6
Moorefield 0-6

Fintan O’Toole reports from Tullamore

A REMARKABLE ALL-Ireland club semi-final success for Galway’s Corofin this afternoon as they pounced for the only goal of the game in the 59th minute and overcame the handicap of playing for over an hour with 14 men against Kildare’s Moorefield.

Liam Silke and Adam Tyrell James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Corner-back Liam Silke was Corofin’s unlikely scoring hero as cut through the heart of the Moorefield defence late on when he received an offload from Ian Burke and finished with aplomb to the net.

Michael Farragher had produced a brilliant turnover in the middle third and won a free which was the launchpad for that telling Corofin move and Dylan Wall supplied an excellent delivery to Burke.

Corofin defended stoutly in injury-time and repelled Moorefield’s advances to reach the All-Ireland final for the second time in four seasons.

The match was jolted into life after 74 seconds when referee Derek O’Mahoney brandished a red card towards Corofin attacker Martin Farragher.

It looked an innocuous challenge by Farragher on Moorefield defender Liam Healy inside the first minute after the full-back fell to the ground following a superb catch but the dismissal took place and Corofin were hit with an early setback.

Martin Farragher leaves the field after being red carded in the opening minute Martin Farragher saw red early in today's All-Ireland club semi-final. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

It had a major impact on the game as a low-scoring and scrappy tussle unfolded. Scores were hard to come by in the first half with the teams tied at 0-2 apiece at the interval. Moorefield struggled to break down Corofin’s rearguard and the 14 men could have gone ahead by the midway mark but Michael Lundy blasted a low shot wide of the post after being found with a lovely pass by Ian Burke.

Aaron Masterson and Dylan Wall Moorefield's Aaron Masterson and Corofin's Dylan Wall in action. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Corofin producing a marvellous start to the second half as they rattled off three points inside five minutes courtesy of Gary Sice, Burke and Ronan Steede.

They still held that 0-5 to 0-2 advantage entering the final quarter before the Moorefield faithful in the 4,138 attendance had cause to cheer as their sprung to life. A long scoring drought was ended when Eanna O’Connor converted a 48th minute free and that was quickly followed by scores from Aaron Mullins and James Murray, a superb individual effort, to tie the teams with ten minutes left.

Sice nudged Corofin in front, Cian O’Connor replied for Moorefield and then Sice spurned a chance to restore their lead when his free from an advantageous position dropped short.

Extra-time looked a prospect before Silke pounced for that late crucial intervention for the Galway champions.

Scorers for Corofin: Liam Silke 1-0, Gary Sice 0-3 (0-3f), Ronan Steede, Jason Leonard, Ian Burke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Moorefield: Eanna O’Connor 0-2 (0-2f), James Murray, Cian O’Connor, Aaron Mullins, David Whyte 0-1 each.

Corofin

1. Bernard Power

3. Kieran Fitzgerald
4. Cathal Silke
2. Liam Silke

5. Kieran Molloy
7. Dylan Wall
8. Michael Farragher

23. Daithi Burke
9. Ronan Steede

11. Michael Lundy
10. Gary Sice
12. Jason Leonard

15. Colin Brady
14. Martin Farragher
13. Ian Burke

Subs

18. Barry O’Donovan for Brady (51)
6. Conor Cunningham for Michael Farragher (61)
19. Dylan McHugh for Wall (61)
20. Darragh Silke for Leonard (63)

Moorefield

1. Tom Kinsella

2. Liam Callaghan
3. Liam Healy
7. Mark Dempsey

5. James Murray
6. Kevin Murnaghan
4. Sean Healy

9. Aaron Masterson
14. Ronan Sweeney

28. Anthony Durney
12. David Whyte
20. Cian O’Connor

15.​ Eanna O’Connor
13. Niall Hurley Lynch
11. Eddie Heavey

Subs

30. Adam Tyrell for Durney (35)
17. Ian Meehan for Heavey (41)
21. Mark Murrray for Tyrell (black card) (46)
10. Aaron Mullins for Hurley-Lynch (48)
19. Adam Sweeney for Whyte (61)

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary)

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