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*Kevin Keane wins the high ball. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
WITHOUT A WIN in either code for their first four senior outings, Corofin are chasing a victory this weekend to avoid lining out in a relegation battle for the second year in a row.
Corofin relegated Clondegad by a single point in Clarecastle last October. Since then they’ve won the intermediate hurling championship and lost the Garry Cup final to Éire Óg but at championship in either code victories have been very scarce.
A late rally against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield saw them lose out by two points in the second round of the Clare SFC, Jack Hannan getting a late score for The Parish to make it 1-14 1-12.
Speaking to The Clare Echo following the loss, Corofin manager Peadar O’Brien pointed to their missed chances from scoreable frees. “The frees killed us in the finish, we missed too many, they missed a free but we missed two frees to bring us back to a point, still on the press we caught for a finish for the last score, it was over at that stage”.
Within the first half, they trailed by six points after eight minutes, they got back to within two points following points from Cillian McGroary and Diarmuid Cahill plus a penalty by Damien O’Loughlin but by half time they were down by seven points. “The breeze was a big factor in the game, both teams actually scored heavy enough with the breeze, they lost a couple of players at the end but I think that was irrelevant in the overall result, they got their scores that bit easier I suppose, they kicked some great long range points in fairness but we’re in the same position as when we started in that it will come down to the last game one way or the other, it would have been nice to get the win today though”.
Given that they have such a high cross-over of dual players, successive losses in both codes have left a sting. O’Brien and his management had the task of trying to lift their football charges following a 26 point loss to Kilmaley on the hurling field in round one and now they must lift them after a 16 point defeat to Cratloe. “You just move on because these things happen, it was through no fault of their own, they didn’t go out to get a 26 point defeat, you have to get on with it, what do you do, the injury situation is a bigger problem than what happened but you have to move on, they will move on from this”.
Defender Marc O’Loughlin is ruled out for Sunday’s third round with St Breckan’s while further time is needed to gauge the hamstring injuries of both Killian O’Connor and Robin Mounsey.
An outside chance still exists for Corofin to qualify for the preliminary quarter-finals if they defeat St Breckan’s and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield make it three from three against Kildysart. “We probably need the three teams to finish level and for Barefield to beat Kildysart, we’re not as bad scoring wise as Kildysart but that said we have to play St Breckan’s who are a serious outfit, we’ll have to be at our best to get anything off them”.
