Gary Sice steers Corofin to Galway title after year of personal hardship

Galway SFC final: Corofin 1-11 Maigh Cuilinn 1-9

Corofin manager Kevin Johnson, who has now guided clubs to senior championships in three counties, praised veteran Gary Sice for steering them to victory after a year of personal hardship.

Sice’s wife Bevin died in September last year but with the couple’s young daughter Sadhbh on hand in Pearse Stadium, the 39-year old pointed the way as Corofin returned to the top in Galway with their 22nd crown and first since 2019.

“It has been an extremely difficult year for Gary but this is his football family,” said Johnson, who previously managed Tourlestrane in his native Sligo and Ballintubber in Mayo to success. “On a Tuesday night he’s the first man there at training and the last man to leave because he just loves the group and the group is really special to Gary.”

The experience of Sice, winning his 13th Galway SFC title, was key as Corofin saw off the challenge of holders Maigh Cuilinn who were dealt a massive blow in advance when they lost Galway captain Seán Kelly to injury.

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There was never more than a point between the sides in the opening half but Corofin pulled away in the third quarter when Kelly’s absence was most acutely felt by the reigning Connacht champions.

The sides were level seven times before Sice pushed them 0-8 to 0-7 in front after 37 minutes, a lead they never lost, and he added two more, one of them an outstanding pointed free from the right touchline. Corofin pulled away after the sides had been level six times in the opening half before Kieran Molloy edged them 0-7 to 0-6 in front having played against the wind.

Molloy, back from a cruciate injury and another who missed Galway’s campaign this year, Liam Silke, who was in New Zealand, provided telling moments with Silke putting four points between the sides before setting up Tony Gill for the goal that clinched it.

Maigh Cuilinn rallied and former Offaly captain Johnny Moloney hit 1-1 in the dying moments but Corofin deservedly held on for victory on an emotional day for Sice and his family.

Sice, with his daughter on his shoulders, stood in the tunnel at Pearse Stadium afterwards and commiserated with each of the Maigh Cuilinn players as they returned to their dressing room.

“It has been a tricky three or four years for me,” said the national school teacher. “Football has been a place to go and the club has looked after me outrageously well. I’m so grateful to everyone in the club.

“The family at home have given me the space to train and train properly and to get the body right and give as much as I could for as long as I could was the goal,” he added.

Corofin: B Power; L Silke (0-2), C Cunningham, C Silke; K Molloy (0-1), D McHugh, G Burke; C Brady, P Egan (0-1); B Cogger, D Wall (0-1), T Gill (1-1); D Silke, G Sice (0-5, four frees), J McCabe.

Subs: Mike Farragher for D Silke (37 mins), M Lundy for McCabe (37), G McHugh for Ciaran Brady (58), Martin Farragher for Wall (61).

Maigh Cuilinn: A Power; C Corcoran, E Kelly, N Mulcahy; J Moloney (1-1), D Wynne, A Claffey; J McLoughlin (0-2), G Davoren; P Cooke (0-2), T Cleary, M Maughan; O Gallagher (0-2), P Kelly, D Conneely (0-2, two frees).

Subs: M O’Reilly for Maughan (33 mins), D Cox for Cleary (45), N Walsh for P Kelly (58), M Lydon for Claffey (63).

Referee: Thomas Murphy (Annaghdown).