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*Colm Rice. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
COROFIN head into this weekend’s opening game in the senior football championship without the experience and leadership qualities of two players who have been regulars in recent seasons.
Jamie Malone, an All Star nominee in 2019 and Fionn Clancy have both emigrated and, according to team manager Peadar O’Brien, “the experience and leadership qualities they have shown over the years will be a huge loss and will be difficult to replace”.
In Saturday‘s opening round in the race for the Jack Daly Cup they face Kildysart in what will be a repeat of the intermediate final of 2021 when Corofin emerged victorious.
A member of the selection committee over the past few years, Peader stepped up to the manager’s role this year and Vincent McCarthy and Tony Kenny continue as selectors while the team is now coached by Derry native Mark Rafferty who resides in the nearby Doora/Barefield parish where he has coached a number of club teams.
Corofin’s round 2 opponents will be St. Josephs when Rafferty will find himself in opposition to his son Joe who is part of the Doora/Barefield panel.
In their first season in charge they steered the side to the Garry Cup (Division 2) league final where they lost out to a fancied Éire Óg team but by getting to the final they earned promotion to the Cusack Cup (Division 1) for next season.
“The opening game in the senior championship race is very important for all teams and we are not looking past that”, commented the manager, mindful no doubt of the fact that his charges had to fight through a relegation battle last year to maintain senior status, overcoming Clondegad in the final.
In addition to finding replacements for the afore mentioned Malone and Clancy, Peadar and his management team take charge of a team representing a dual club which will have in the region of ten or eleven dual players in action on Saturday.
This includes having assistance from Cilléin Mullins from Crusheen and the Ruan duo of Colm Rice and Robin Mounsey who was part of Clare’s All-Ireland winning senior hurling squad last week.
Incidentally Corofin clubman Conor Leen, one of the stars of Clare’s great win over Cork last week, is understood to be concentrating on hurling and won’t be part of the football panel this week, the same rule of thumb has been followed by Ross Hayes of Crusheen, another member of the All-Ireland winning squad.
For the next six weeks the dual players will have championship games every week as the football and hurling championships go ahead every second week. Should the clubs of dual players make it out of the groups to the knock out stages, the schedule will continue with hurling and football on alternate weekends. It’s a demanding schedule for those involved in both codes and all will be keeping their fingers crossed that they will avoid injury.
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Diarmuid Cahill, younger brother of team captain Gearoid, remains doubtful due to a leg injury which has resulted in him missing a number of league games in both hurling and football this season. If he is ruled out it will represent a big blow to their hopes of making a winning start to this campaign.
The O’Loughlins, Cillian McGroary, Kevin Keane, Eoin Davoren and team captain Gearoid Cahill are key players for the North Clare outfit and they will be hoping that they can get their campaign off on a winning note.
Management: Peadar O’Brien (Manager) Mark Raftery (coach);Vincent McCarthy, Tony Kenny, Dara Kenny (Stats) Thomas Whelan (video analysis)
Captain: Gearoid Cahill
Key Player: Kevin Keane
One to watch: Evan Doolin
Fresh Blood: Evan Doolin, Cathal Flanagan, Colin Fitzgerald, Colm Breen;
Departures Gates: Jamie Malone, Fionn Clancy, Michael Kelly, Fergal Killeen, Shay Malone, Ross Hayes, Conor Leen, Luke Neylon
Treatment table: Diarmuid Cahill (quad)
Last season’s run: Survived relegation play off with a one point win over Clondegad.
Titles Won: None;
Schedule of games:
Round 1 v Kildysart (August 3rd)
Round 2 v St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield (August 17th/18th)
Round 3 v St. Breckans (August 31st/Sept 1st)
