In atrocious conditions, Corofin won their ninth Galway senior football title on a drenched pitch in gale-force winds and persistent rain at Tuam Stadium yesterday.
It was a game that should not have been played. Next Sunday's Connacht semi-final between the winners and Leitrim's Aughavas could have been the only reason for influencing the decision to go ahead.
It turned out to be more of a lottery than a fair contest and did the image of Galway football more harm than good.
The decision to go ahead with the match was taken only minutes before the throw-in, after the referee Denis Ryder had consulted with the managers of both teams and Pat Egan, the Galway County Board secretary.
"In hindsight, it was a mistake to play it, but we decided to go ahead with the only other alternative being to play next Saturday with the winners playing the Connacht semi-final on the following day," said Peter Lee, the Killanin manager. "A serious look at fixtures will have to be taken, you work so hard and then have to play in those conditions because of the scheduling of fixtures."
TG4 were having none of it and rightly so. They scrapped plans for live coverage of the match sometime before the start with the scaffolding at the terraced side of the ground looking so horrendously vulnerable. The risk to life and limb would not have been worth it.
Corofin started with eight of the players who won the All-Ireland title two seasons ago, but, although playing with the wind in the first half, they not surprisingly failed to impress in the opening 20 minutes. In fact, during that spell, Killanin looked the more likely to lift the title in their first final appearance.
They wisely played short ball against the wind and rain in that first half and were generally looking as composed as any side could possibly be in the laughable conditions.
Full back Ray Gibbons and Ronnie Kelly were having a steadying influence in central defence and the roaming Finbar Thomas and midfielder Gary Fahey, who swapped with Kevin Walsh (later to retire), were being ably assisted by David Kinneavy.
But two happenings of a very different kind helped to decide Killanin's fate. The first was a Corofin goal by classy winger Shane Conlisk seven minutes from halftime. The second blow for the challengers was their mistake not to change tactics and give the ball an airing when they had the advantage of the wind in the second half.
The goal, it must be said, was a beauty. The move was started by David Morris with a well-weighted through ball, collected by the dovetailing wing back James Lardner who set Conlisk up.
Up to that stage the sides were level on 0-1 each, but Killanin goalkeeper Michael Lillis had earlier been asked a serious question by Corofin's Alan O'Donovan whose low shot was brilliantly saved.
Corofin needed the excellent displays delivered in defence by Ray Silke and man of the match John Lardner as well as James Lardner to hold a last-quarter Killanin threat at bay.
A point from Killanin centre back Ronnie Kelly was, however, the only addition to the scoreboard from either side in the second 30 minutes.
With only 10 minutes left, the challengers went closest to the goal they so badly needed, but Thomas' superb catch and good delivery came to nothing thanks to Brian Silke's good covering.
The work-rate put in by the Corofin side was typified by the industry of full forward Kieran Comer.
Corofin: M McNamara; B Silke, J Killeen, John Lardner; M Comer, R Silke, James Lardner; A Donnellan, K Fitzgerald; S Conlisk (1-0), D Morris (0-1), M Kenny; T Burke, K Comer, A O'Donovan (0-2 frees). Subs: M Donnellan for M Kenny (54 mins); D Reilly for Morris (58).
Killanin: M Lillis; PJ Gorham, R Gibbons, G Osborne; P O'Halloran, R Kelly, P Fahy; K Walsh, D Kinneavy (0-1); R Fahey, G Fahey, E Fahey, (0-1, free); F Thomas (0-1), D Gibbons, R Ryan. Subs: D Beirne for Ryan (51 mins); M Walsh for K Walsh (51); P Maloney for D Kinneavy (58); S Flynn for D Gibbons (58).
Referee: D Ryder (Kilconly).
