Gaelic Games

Jason Leonard stars as Corofin retain title

Result never really in doubt as Corofin make it four-in-a-row

Corofin’s Alan Burke and Ciaran McGrath lift the cup. Photo: Tommy Grealy/Inpho
Sun Oct 23 2016 - 18:33

Corofin 0-16 Salthill-Knocknacarra 0-11

Jason Leonard shot nine points for reigning champions Corofin as they made it four Galway SFC titles in a row with a win over Salthill-Knocknacarra at Pearse Stadium.

The 2015 All-Ireland champions had won four of the previous five Frank Fox Cups, with Salthill-Knocknacarra breaking their stranglehold four years ago when they got the better of Tuam Stars in the final.

But in Salthill, in front of 4,463, the red hot favourites were 0-11 to 0-5 up at half-time, and despite a mini-revival afterwards, Corofin held on to close the game out and reassert their dominance in the county.

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Former All Star footballer Kieran Fitzgerald made it 11 Galway SFC medals with the victory, and it never looked in doubt after the 50th minute when Leonard stretched the lead out beyond a goal again, and Salthill-Knocknacarra lost all heart.

Corofin got the better of Mountbellew-Moylough en route to the final - they eased their way through the campaign and were rarely tested - while Salthill-Knocknacarra got the better of Cortoon Shamrocks in the final four.

Kevin O’Brien’s men were 0-11 to 0-5 up at half-time after they played with a stiff breeze at their backs in the first-half.

Leonard was the star performer for the holders as they hit the target at will, but Sean Armstrong kept the 2006 All-Ireland winners in touch up the other end.

Micheal Lundy, back from his trip to the USA, replaced Gary Sice before throw-in and the returning Galway footballer scored the first point of the game inside the opening minute.

Former All-Ireland U-21 winner Ian Burke scored next and another county star, Michael Farragher, made it 0-3 to 0-0 after just three minutes of the game.

It looked like an uphill struggle for Salthill-Knocknacarra, but they were defiant and their attack was led by veteran campaigner Sean Armstrong, who showed all his experience to drag them back into the game.

The ex-Galway stalwart scored their opening three points of the game, all from play, and the first of those came in the fifth minute. Leonard hit back, while Lundy and Farragher insured that Corofin held a 0-7 to 0-3 lead with 15 minutes gone.

Salthill-Knocknacarra’s Marcus MacDonnacha, who scored goals in their quarter-final and semi-final victories, missed a gilt-edged opportunity when he fired directly at Bernard Power.

Corofin were creaking but Leonard eased any worries and he reeled off two more points before dual star Tadhg Haran scored a free for Salthill-Knocknacarra.

Ian Burke and Leonard extended the lead, but Armstrong scored his fourth point off the half, his first free, and Salthill-Knocknacarra trailed 0-11 to 0-5 at the break.

Corofin have won the Connacht title six times and last won it in 2014, but they lost last year’s decider against Castlebar Mitchels and have used that as their motivation all season.

But it was Galway minor Rob Finnerty who scored the first point of the second-half for Salthill-Knocknacarra, before that was instantly cancelled out by Leonard.

Then Armstrong kicked his fifth point of the day and with back to back efforts from Rob Finnerty, Salthill-Knocknacarra were within touching distance.

They trailed 0-12 to 0-9 after 47 minutes, but just as the pressure came on, Corofin showed they had the wherewithal to stave off the comeback and ease to victory.

Leonard pointed his seventh of the day, closely followed by another and after Rob Finnerty’s free, a huge Kieran Molloy point pushed Corofin five clear with time running out.

Armstrong reduced the arrears back to four, but that was as close as they got. And Leonard crowned a special performance with his and Corofin’s final point.

Corofin: B Power; C Cunningham, L Silke, C Silke; K Figerald, C McGrath, K Molloy (0-1); D Burke, R Steede; B O'Donovan, D Wall, J Leonard (0-8, 0-3f); M Lundy (0-2), M Farragher (0-2), I Burke (0-2). Subs: A Burke for O'Donovan (32-39, blood & 44), C Brady for Wall (56), K Murphy for Leonard (61), D Canney for Lundy (64), C Brady for Fitzgerald (65).

Salthill-Knocknacarra: E Duffy; E Wynne, F Hanley, C Halloran; R McTiernan, W Finnerty, G Duffy; C Healy, B Kelly; J Maher, R Butler, T Haran (0-1, 0-1f); R Finnerty (0-4, 0-3f), M MacDonnacha, S Armstrong (0-6, 0-2f). Subs: B Conlon for Armstrong (32-37, blood), G Cox for Butler (42), J Killeen for W Finnerty (52), P Killeen for Maher (58), S Kelly for MacDonncha (60).

Referee: Tomás Ó Fátharta (Galway).