Corofin senior manager Kevin O’Brien and his backroom team are really getting the hang of winning provincial titles.
The club won its ninth ever - a sixth title since 2008 - and a third in-a-row last weekend after a workmanlike 2-10 to 1-09 victory over Mayo champions Ballintubber.
O’Brien who won an All-Ireland club medal with Corofin back in 1998 was delighted with their second half display.
“We went in at halftime concerned as we were not doing well around the middle and they were causing us a lot of problems. However, when we started flooding that area with bodies that improved and we had a better balance with Mike (Farragher ) out there and Daithí (Burke ) at wing-back.
“We had to shake things up a bit and at half time we said to the lads - that they were being asked big questions, the same questions as they have been many times over the years and they fairly responded in the second half and came up with the right answers."
O’Brien acknowledged that Corofin’s strength in depth was a big factor in the win.
“Our bench was hugely important for us to get the win as it always is. The likes of Ian (Burke ) and Dylan (McHugh ) did really well when they came on and all the subs worked hard. Dylan was very unfortunate to be dropped and it was a hard decision to make. He showed a really positive attitude when he came on and that is what we needed. We have a great squad and every day different players come on and make an impact for us. To get through tight matches impact subs are needed and last weekend was no different.”
While some people are already talking about the big games ahead, O’Brien correctly wanted to acknowledge last weekend’s achievement.
“Three in a row of Connacht titles is huge for our club and we will celebrate it. We never look past our next game and we were the same for the clash with Ballintubber. It is a pleasure for all the management team to be involved with this panel of super players. The fact that they are All-Ireland club champions, All-Ireland 7's champions and Connacht champions in the same year speaks volumes about their ability and commitment. They are a special group of men and they deserve huge credit.”
