Corofin 0-16

Ballina Stephenites 0-12

DARREN KELLY IN PEARSE STADIUM

Even if it was four years since their last competitive contest outside Galway, Corofin’s experience, blended with their new young stars, controlled this Connacht senior football semi-final last Saturday to advance to next week’s decider against Roscommon’s St Brigid’s.

The old and the new were seen on the scoreboard as both 39-years-old Gary Sice and 19-years-old Jack McCabe tallied five points apiece; but there were also major contributions from captain Dylan McHugh, Patrick Egan, and Micheal Lundy.

Lundy and Mike Farragher were making their first starts this season replacing Darragh Silke and Kieran Molloy, who’d gone travelling, and both worked hard to ensure Corofin always held the advantage.

Corofin were helped by Ballina’s decision to play against the wind after winning the toss. Between Salthill’s regular weather and Corofin’s craft on this stage, it seemed to be a strange choice by the Mayo champions.

Niall Heffernan’s team were also missing the injured duo of Mayo star Padraic O’Hora and captain Dylan Thornton, though the latter did make a cameo appearance; and after just 11 minutes, another stalwart Ger Cafferky’s hamstring gave way and he had to depart.

Corofin were already in their groove by that stage, leading by 0-3 to no score. Sice opened from a free after just 45 seconds but they had to wait until the seventh minute when Brian Cogger allowed McHugh double the advantage.

Pictured: Corofin’s Jack McCabe, who kicked five points from play in the game, spins away from the challenge of Ballina’s Mikey Murray. Photo: David Cunniffe.