Gaelic Games

Corofin remain Galway kingpins denying Maigh Cuilinn once again

Maigh Cuilinn fall to Corofin at the final hurdle for second year running

Dylan McHugh lifts the Frank Fox Cup for Corofin after beating Maigh Cuilinn in the Galway Senior Football final at Tuam Stadium. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Dylan McHugh lifts the Frank Fox Cup for Corofin after beating Maigh Cuilinn in the Galway Senior Football final at Tuam Stadium. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
John Fallon
Sun Oct 27 2024 - 17:22
Galway SFC final: Corofin 2-9 Maigh Cuilinn 0-9

Gary Sice equalled the record set by his former club and county team-mate Kieran Fitzgerald when he won his 14th Galway Senior Football Championship medal as Corofin retained their crown at Tuam Stadium.

Sice drilled home their second goal in the closing stages to wrap up a 23rd title for Corofin just a couple of weeks short of his 40th birthday, marking the club’s second successive county final win over Maigh Cuilinn.

“I just think it is special,” said Corofin manager Kevin Johnson. “He is the first and last man at training, he leads from the front and the rest of us just love following.”

A burst of 1-3 in three minutes approaching the break set them up for a win which takes them within one of the record 24 crowns held by their neighbours Tuam Stars.

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Maigh Cuilinn, who won their first Galway title in 2000 and backed it up with another success two years later, never got a grip in the wet conditions in Tuam. It’s their third county defeat, all of which have comeat the hands of Corofin.

But they were in trouble when Corofin pulled away to lead 1-6 to 0-4 at the break, even though Maigh Cuilinn had the wind after the restart.

The wet conditions made it very difficult for both teams and they were level three times in the opening 22 minutes with Dessie Conneely kicking two frees for Maigh Cuilinn and Peter Cooke fisting a point.

Corofin got off the mark with a fine point from Jack McCabe and Sice kicked a couple of frees from the right.

Dylan Canney edged Corofin 0-4 to 0-3 in front after 25 minutes but then disaster struck for Maigh Cuilinn when goalkeeper Andrew Power mis-hit a pass across his 13-metre line and McCabe pounced to sidefoot the ball into the empty net.

Corofin then turned the screw with Darragh Silke kicking two points inside a minute to go six clear.

Maigh Cuilinn reduced the margin before the break with Conneely’s third free of the game.

The sides exchanged points three times in the third quarter before Owen Gallagher reduced the margin to 1-9 to 0-7 with 10 minutes remaining.

Maigh Cuilinn had chances to get closer but were guilty of some bad wides and paid the price when Sice drilled home a superb goal to wrap up the issue two minutes from time.

COROFIN: B Power; L Silke, D McHugh, C Silke; C Cunningham, B Cogger, K Molloy; Ciaran Brady, M Farragher; P Egan, M Lundy, D Canney (0-2f); G Sice (1-2, 0-2f), D Silke (0-2), J McCabe (1-1).

Subs: Colin Brady (0-2) for Lundy (28 mins), J Leonard for Canney (48), T Gill for Ciaran Brady (58), G Burke for Cogger (60).

MAIGH CUILINN: A Power; C Corcoran, S Kelly, M Moughan; E Kelly, D Wynne, J Moloney; T Clarke, G Davoren; N Mulcahy, P Kelly (0-2, 0-1f), P Cooke; D Conneely (0-5f), F McDonagh, O Gallagher (0-2).

Subs: N Walsh for McDonagh (39 mins), M O’Reilly for Davoren (39), J McLaughlin for Clarke (41), A Claffey for E Kelly (16), S O’Connor for Mulcahy (58).

Referee: A O’Connell (Caherlistrane).