Corofin come up short against An Ghaeltacht

*Corofin’s Diarmuid Cahill loses his footing to Brian Ó Beaglaíoch of An Gaeltacht. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

COROFIN have been eliminated from the Munster Intermediate Football Championship at the semi-final stage after a five-point defeat to An Ghaeltacht of Kerry.

An Ghaeltacht: 1-13
Corofin: 0-11
Venue: Páirc Finne, Corofin

By Gearóid Howley

It was Corofin’s second consecutive home game of their Munster campaign and they got the opening score of the afternoon through a Gearóid Cahill free, which ended up being their only score for the next twenty-plus minutes.

An Ghaeltacht scored the next five points of the contest, with three of those coming from the boot of full-forward Éanna Ó Conchúir.

Tomás Ó Sé stretched the West Kerry men’s lead to six points with the only green flag of the tie on twenty-four minutes after a lightning-quick counter-attack.

Brian Ó Beaglaoich, who dictated a bulk of the play in the first-half, kicked a point of his own shortly after leaving the scoreboard reading 1-7 to 0-1.

As half-time loomed, Corofin added to their single-point tally at long last with Cillian McGroary nailing his first free from outside the arc before Gearóid Cahill added his second of the afternoon, this one coming from play. When the half-time whistle sounded, Corofin were six points in arrears.

Jamie Malone in possession. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Jamie Malone, who again returned home from Dubai to feature, was handed the task of negating Brian Ó Beaglaoich in the second half, but the All-Ireland winner grabbed the first score after the restart with a superb two-pointer.

McGroary showcased his phenomenal kicking ability off the deck once more, raising a white flag, and he was the player who added the home side’s next score of the day a few minutes later with another placed ball, this time from just outside the arc. Heading into the final quarter, they were trailing by seven points.

Gavin Ó Cinnéide knocks over Marc O’Loughlin. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Cahill kept the momentum going adding two further points from play, with Malone becoming their third different contributor of the day between those scores. An Ghaeltacht’s fifteen-minute scoring drought meant Corofin had closed the gap to four by the time the clock reached fifty-seven minutes.

On the dot of sixty, An Ghaeltacht were awarded a close-range free for dissent, which Ó Conchúir calmly slotted over to seal their spot in the provincial decider.

Kevin Keane gets away from Tomás Ó Sé. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Corofin struggled on their own kick-out in the first-half with An Ghaeltacht applying a vigorous press to force Luke Neylon long, the Kerry outfit were much sharper on the breaks during this period.

In the second-half, the Clare outfit, who were missing two key players in Cilléin Mullins and Sean O’Brien due to travel commitments, got a better return on both their own and the opposition restarts. Players operating in the middle third, such as Keane and Kelly, had a greater impact on proceedings which resulted in An Ghaeltacht being pinned back in their own half for large spells.

Positional adjustments at the break also played a key role in their courageous second-half performance. Gearóid Cahill reverted to full-forward, while Jamie Malone was tasked with marking Brian Ó Beaglaoich — moves that certainly helped Peadar O’Brien’s men grow into the game.

Getting to grips with their opponents intricate play through the hands was crucial, which they did as the game progressed.

Most impressive for the North Clare men, who produced an encouraging second-half display, were Gearóid Cahill, Gearóid Kelly, Kevin Keane, and Marc O’Loughlin. Though they will be disappointed their season has ended, bouncing back to the senior ranks was their sole focus and this has been achieved.

Scorers Corofin: C McGroary (0-5, 2tpf, 1f), G Cahill (0-5, 1f), J Malone (0-1)

Scorers An Ghaeltacht: T Ó Sé (1-2), É Ó Conchúir (0-4, 2f), B Ó Beaglaoich (0-3, 1tp), PJ Mac Lámh (0-2), G Ó Cinnéide (0-1), D Ó Beaglaoich (0-1)

Corofin:
1: Luke Neylon

2: Marc O’Loughlin
4: John Rees
18: Caoimhín O’Donovan

5: Cathal Flanagan
6: Damien O’Loughlin
7: Kevin Keane

8: Cillian McGroary
9: Gearóid Kelly

10: Cian Doolin
14: Gearóid Cahill
12: Evan Doolin

13: Diarmuid Cahill
26: Jamie Malone
15: Seanán Kirby

Subs:
21: Josh Ryan for Flanagan (41)

An Ghaeltacht:
1: Seán Ó Lúing

2: Cian Ó Murchú
3: Rónán Ó Beaglaoich
4: Adam Mac Amhlaoibh

5: Pádraig Ó Sé
6: Brian Ó Beaglaoich
7: Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich