Gaelic Games

Corofin rescue draw at the death in Galway county final

Lundy denies Mountbellew/Moylough a first county title for 32 years with fisted point

Corofin’s Gary Sice with Michael Daly and Matthew Barrett of Mountbellew/Moylough. Photograph: Tommy Grealy/Inpho

Sun Oct 28 2018 - 17:36

Corofin 0-7 Mountbellew/Moylough 0-7

Deep into added-time at Pearse Stadium it seemed as if the reigning All-Ireland club football champions were about to lose a Galway championship game for the first time in six years, but captain Micheál Lundy rescued them at the death to force a replay.

A disciplined and composed Mountbellew/Moylough had earlier kicked three points in a row to take the lead in the 61st minute, only for Lundy to deny them a first county title for 32 years with his fisted point.

It was 0-3 to 0-3 after a poor first half where both teams frequently operated with 15 men behind the ball.

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Three-time All Star county hurler Daithi Burke came into the Corofin team before throw-in, and after a tight start the challengers grew in confidence and Barry McHugh popped over a free to give them the lead in the sixth minute.

Corofin were kept scoreless until Kieran Molloy fisted a point in the 12th minute. Martin Farragher scored their second point in added time at the end of first half.

Mountbellew/Moylough had raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead with Eoin Finnerty and McHugh (45) on target but they couldn't close out the half.

This was certainly a test of Corofin's character and Gary Sice stood up to land a great score from the right in the 40th minute.

After a Liam Silke point, Paul Donnellan reduced the arrears to the minimum but that was answered by another exquisite strike from Sice.

Then substitute Colin Ryan levelled the game and McHugh looked to have won it from a free, only for Lundy to snatch a draw.

Corofin: B Power; C Silke, K Fitzgerald, L Silke (0-1); K Molloy (0-1), D McHugh, D Wall; D Burke, R Steede; G Sice (0-3), M Lundy (0-1), J Leonard; Martin Farragher (0-1), Michael Farragher, I Burke.

Subs: C Brady for Martin Frragher (black card 36 mins), C Cunningham for Wall (54 mins), D Canney for I Burke (59 mins).

Mountbellew-Moylough: D Boyle; G Sweeney, M Mannion, C Murray; N McDonagh, G Donoghue, J Daly; M Daly, M Barrett; S Boyle, P Donnellan (0-1), E Finnerty (0-1); C Mannion, B McHugh (0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1'45), L Donnellan.

Subs: C Ryan (0-1) for C Mannion (54 mins), D Hogan for McDonagh (57 mins), B Mannion for S Boyle (61 mins).

Referee: James Molloy (Galway).

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