*Corofin’s Jamie Malone. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
ABU DHABI based Jamie Malone clocked up the miles to help his native Corofin seal their return to the Clare SFC.
Teaching in the Middle East since January 2024, Jamie was back home for the summer but has been flying to Clare for the knockout stages of the Clare IFC to play his part in Corofin’s promotion back to the top tier.
Sunday’s success saw Malone collect his third Clare IFC medal following previous wins in 2015 and 2021. “They are all great to win, any day you win with Corofin is great. I wasn’t hoping to play in another intermediate final or win another one but it’s where we found ourselves this year after the disappointment of last year so we really wanted to bounce back this year because the longer you stay in intermediate the tougher it is to get out of it. We set a target of winning six games and this was our sixth game, we’re happy to get over the line”.
His preparations in lining out for Corofin this year have been “different” for the 2019 All Star nominee. “I’m very much preparing myself or talking to anyone about the game, I’m in touch a bit but I’ve to just focus on myself and get myself ready, it is very different, I was delighted to be a part of it, once I got the chance to train in the summer and play a few games I didn’t want to let anyone down, I was more than happy to play and it has paid off in the end”.
Getting to play alongside the likes of Caoimhín O’Donovan, Colm Breen and Seanán Kirby has made Jamie hopeful of how Corofin will fare in the senior ranks next season. “Over the last number of years we’ve had good young lads coming through, the guys that have joined the panel this year have given us a bounce like Colm Breen, Seanan Kirby and Caoimhin O’Donovan, it is very important to freshen things up, it is great for them to start winning and it is a good habit to start with so long may it continue”.
Relegation will strengthen the resolve of Corofin next year. “We’ve had a taste of it, for a couple of years. We were disappointed to go down last year so we know there is a huge step up in everything when you go to senior football so we have a lot to prepare on but we’re delighted to be there”.
No plans have been made regarding commuting for the Munster club, he confirmed but he admitted no return to the Clare fold under Paul Madden is on the cards, “I don’t think so, I’m delighted to be playing with Corofin at the minute”.
