Corofin 0-9
Tir Chonaill Gaels 0-2

COROFIN WERE MADE to fight for their All-Ireland SFC semi-final spot in a hard-fought win over Tir Chonaill Gaels in Ruislip this afternoon.

In a turgid affair, the Galway champions looked in real trouble at the break, leading by just 0-2 to 0-1 after failing to take advantage of a strong breeze in the opening period.

However, Tir Chonaill Gaels’ hopes of a first All-Ireland quarter-final victory in 15 attempts were quickly quashed after the restart as Gary Sice dragged his side to victory, the half-forward kicking five points in the second half.

Corofin travelled to the London as heavy favourites and in free-scoring form – hitting 14-45 in their previous three championship outings – but they struggled to break down their hosts during a dire first half.

Playing with a strong breeze on their backs, Corofin enjoyed bags of possession, and they opened the scoring after two minutes when Gary Sice punished a defensive error.

But the visitors’ next score didn’t arrive until the final minute of the first half thanks to some excellent Gaels defending and some haphazard shooting from the Galway men that allowed Cathal O’Neill to level matters on 24 minutes when he blasted over from close range.

Martin Farragher ensured Corofin did lead at the break after he gave Philip Butler the slip and pointed, but Tir Chonaill Gaels were the happier side as the teams headed for the dressing rooms.

Sice was guilty of a glaring miss during the early stages of the second half, firing wide from a close-range free, but instead of letting his head drop, the miss had the opposite effect.

From the next passage of play, Sice boomed a superb point, and he added two more from frees as Corofin hit four scores in eight minutes to effectively kill the game.

Tir Chonaill Gaels were gifted a glorious goal chance on 42 minutes when Thomas Healy’s short kickout went straight to Darren Gilsenan, but Cathal Magee took his eye off the ball and it allowed Healy to redeem himself.

Sice added another pair of frees in the final minutes as the game began to peter out, while some late pressure from the Gaels was rewarded with the consolation of a second score from substitute Eoin O’Neill.

Corofin will now meet Dublin’s St. Vincent’s in the All-Ireland club SFC semi-final.

Elsewhere, Cahir and Loughmore Castleiney will meet in the Tipperary SFC final. Chair got the better of Thomas McDonagh’s 2-10 to 3-5 in the second semi-final after Loughmore Castleiney powered past Aherlow Gael 3-5 to 0-8 in the early throw-in.

Scorers for Corofin: G Sice 0-6 (4f), Martin Farragher, Michael Farragher, D Burke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tir Chonaill Gaels: C O’Neill, E O’Neill (f) 0-1 each.

Corofin

1. T Healy

2. C McGrath
3. K Fitzgerald
4. C Cunningham

5. G Higgins
6. A Burke
7. L Silke

8. D Burke
9.R Steede

10. G Sice
11. M Lundy
12. Michael Farragher

13. Martin Farragher
14. G Delaney
15. I Burke.

Subs: P Kelly for Fitzgerald (37), D Wall for Michael Farragher (46), J Canney for Martin Farragher (55), A O’Donovan for I Burke (60), B O’Donovan for Silke (60).

Tir Chonaill Gaels

1. D Traynor

2. B Ross
3. P Butler
4. A Downes

5. N Boyle
6. E McConville
7. G McGee

8. M Gottsche
9. A Bradley

10. C O’Neill
11. D Gilsenan
12. J McNicholas

13. L Kavanagh
14. J Feeney
15. C Magee

Subs: B Collins for Ross (10), L Gavaghan for Kavanagh (40), E O’Neill for C O’Neill (42), M McCoy for Downes (47), B Duddy for Magee (53), B O’Reilly for Gilsenan (55).

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).

Originally published 14 December, 16.58.

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