Corofin ... 3-11 Annaghdown ... 2-2 Corofin powered their way to a 10th Galway senior football title when they scored a facile victory over an outclassed Annaghdown side at Salthill yesterday.
Played before an estimated 5,000 crowd in the impressively revamped Pearse Stadium, the match was practically over as a contest by the 17th minute when Corofin led by 1-5 to 0-0, after playing into the breeze.
Annaghdown always struggled to match the pace and slickness of a very impressive Corofin side and when Trevor Burke shot low to the Annaghdown net in the 17th minute, after being set up by David Hanly, the losers faced a near-impossible task.
Hope did flicker temporarily for last year's champions in the 22nd minute when Damien Burke for once got free of the attentions of Michael Comer to flick a Michael Newell through ball to the Corofin net from just a couple of yards out.
Down 1-5 to 1-0 at the interval, Annaghdown struck for a second goal seven minutes into the second half when Newell punished a Kieran Fitzgerald mistake before blasting the ball to the net.
This was to be a last hurrah for Annaghdown, however, with Corofin in complete control from there on, the outcome put beyond all doubt in the 48th minute when Shane Conlisk shot high to the net after being set up by Hanly's pass.
From there to the end it was exhibition stuff for Corofin, with corner back Alan Burke joining the goal-scoring club in the 63rd minute when he punished a mistake by goalkeeper Gerry Cahill.
Corofin's detailing of Galway All-Ireland under-21 hero Michael Comer to mark Annaghdown dangerman Damien Burke proved a wise tactical move, while captain Ray Silke, operating from centre back, read the game astutely, cutting off many attacks at source.
Kieran Comer was the dominant midfielder, while Trevor Burke, James Lardner, David Hanly and Alan O'Donovan were too slippery for the Annaghdown backs. Corofin meet Sligo champions Eastern Harps in the first round of the Connacht club championship on Sunday in Sligo.
COROFIN: D Morris; G Delaney, K Fitzgerald, A Burke (1-0); R Silke, M Comer, D Burke; Kr Comer (0-3), A Donnellan; T Burke (1-1), J Lardner (0-1), D Hanly; D Reilly (0-2), S Conlisk (1-0), A O'Donovan (0-3). Subs: E Killeen for Reilly (43), Kv Comer (0-1) for Lardner (50), B Silke for Fitzgerald (52), M Donnellan for Hanly (58), D Newell for Conlisk (60).
ANNAGHDOWN: G Cahill; V Small, A Fitzpatrick, B Newell; B Qualter, P Creaven, M O'Neill; Mt Duggan, N Coleman; M Melia, Mg Duggan, R Leonard; D Burke (1-1), M Newell (1-1), S Kavanagh. Subs: K Keane for B Newell (24), L O'Flynn for Creaven (h-t), PJ Fahy for Melia (42), C Leonard for Kavanagh (51).
Referee: P Joyce (Galway).
