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*Corofin’s Gearoid Cahill takes on Eoghan Thynne. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
SHOOTING EFFICIENCY was the standout for Corofin as they fell to an opening round defeat in the Clare senior football championship.
Just two points separated Corofin from St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield at the sounding of the final whistle in Shannon on Saturday last in the opening round of the Clare SFC.
A tough battle was always expected by the North Clare club but joint manager Douglas Hurley pointed to their wasteful shooting in the second half as a big hindrance to their efforts of picking up a first round victory.
Hurley told The Clare Echo, “The wind in the second half, we reeled them in fairly quickly but we never got ahead, well we got ahead by a point at one stage but a ball we should have turned over they ended up getting a goal from. When we went level, we missed chances, we had five scores from twenty shots in the second half just wasn’t good enough”.
He added, “There was stages there for ten or fifteen minutes into the second half where we probably should have put it away but we didn’t”.
Corofin won the toss but opted to play against the breeze, this is a decision they would not chance if given the choice again, he admitted. “That was our plan, I don’t think we would have changed it, we were happy going in at half-time, we hit three balls off the post in the first half so we probably should have been level at least, we were happy and wouldn’t change that”.
Despite the disappointment, a draw almost fell their way, Gearoid Cahill was denied by a finger-tip save from Tom O’Brien in the closing stages with Dara Nagle also getting his feet to clear another shot off the line. “We hit the crossbar and the rebound was saved but they are the breaks, when it is not your day it’s not your day”.
Tests with Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Breckan’s lie ahead for Corofin who must pick up a win in at least one of these games to qualify for the quarter-finals. “It gets harder from here so it does, the first round was vital and fair play to Doora/Barefield they have it and we’re going to try dig deep to pull a result out of somewhere”.
Diarmuid Cahill and Robin Mounsey were missed from their attack but Douglas was not optimistic they would be able to field a stronger side in the second round. “We have what we have. The lads have to hurl again next weekend, we won’t be getting any stronger from here I’d imagine so we have what we have and we’ll make do with it”.
