"A great feeling to be back on top of Connacht", was how captain Kieran Fitzgerald described leading Corofin to their fourth Connacht Club SFC title.
If the ‘90’s marked the apex of achievement for the North Galway club, with three provincial titles and Connacht's first ever All-Ireland club football title, then this decade had, until yesterday, been one of frustration outside the county.
Since capturing the Andy Merrigan Cup in 1998, Corofin have endured disappointment in the Connacht Club SFC with defeats to Ballina Stephenites, Crossmolina Deel Rovers, Eastern Harps and more recently St Brigid's, when caught by Karol Mannion's dramatic injury-time strike. The current side has served a tough apprenticeship in the provincial campaign which manager Jimmy Sice referred to post-match.
"We learned our lesson two years ago. It's never over until it's over". Speaking of the 'one game at a time' approach to the championship, Sice stated that "our aim was to win the first round of championship, and once we did every game thereafter was a county final for us.
Once we got out of Galway, every game became a Connacht final." The Corofin manager also spoke of his long association with many of the current panel. "Having worked with a number of these lads since they were eight or nine years of age, today is without doubt one of the proudest days of my football career", he said.
Ahead of this final, there was debate over Corofin's choice of Pearse Stadium over Tuam Stadium as the venue. In the end, the decision was vindicated as the wide open expanses of the Salthill pitch undoubtedly suited Corofin's greater pace and athleticism. No one exemplified this more than man-of-the-match Alan Burke.
"It was a great performance, we upped it another gear from the Castlerea game", he said in reference to his team's gradual improvement over the course of the season. Speaking of his side's third quarter dominance when extinguishing all hope of a comeback with three of the half's opening four points, Burke added, "Harps came back well in the second half versus Ballaghaderreen so we knew the first 10 minutes after the break were absolutely vital. We knew that if we let them get the first couple of points after half time, they would have the momentum".
At times, Corofin's slick passing, support play of the man in possession and attacking movement was of the highest order. Central to much of this was Joe Canney, a revelation on Corofin's inside-line, and he paid tribute to his "top class" defence while also identifying his side's work-rate when Eastern Harps were in possession as a vital factor in the win. Amazingly, only one side, Caherlistrane, has managed to score more than eight points against Corofin in championship clashes this season.
Despite the surprise defeat of Nemo Rangers in Munster yesterday, a glance around the country sees many of club football's heavyweights still standing - most notably Crossmaglen Rangers, Ballinderry and Kilmacud Crokes. Corofin advance to the All-Ireland series with hopes of replicating the memorable achievements of 1998.
The North Galway side now have an eight week break until their All Ireland quarter-final tie with Tír Chonaill Gaels on January 18th. Although the London champions have failed to make the breakthrough in 11 previous attempts, both Crossmaglen Rangers and Salthill-Knocknacarra were pushed every step of the way on their visits to Ruislip in recent seasons.
