Clann na nGael eager to test champions Corofin’s mettle

As the club season gathers pace, this weekend sees the clash of two clubs with very distinct places in history. Roscommon's Clann na nGael and All-Ireland champions Corofin from Galway have dominated the Connacht football championship for the past four decades.

That domination is present tense for the champions whereas Clann have only racked a second county title in more than 20 years but this season's was memorable for the fact that they beat St Brigid's, winners in 2013 of the county's only All-Ireland.

"Going into the final this time we'd beaten them back in the group stages but we knew this is the time of the year Brigid's do come strong," said Clann manager Fergal Shine (maybe surprisingly, no relation of team captain Donie).

“But on paper we knew we could beat them man for man. On the day we got a performance and we’d been waiting for that all year because we’d only been doing it for 20 minutes here and there in the second half in games and just doing enough to get over the line.

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“We got a couple of lucky breaks and it was level about halfway through the second half but a couple of goals and the sending-off got us going – but the good thing was that we kicked on when we went six up. We looked for more and it was good to get that.”

The follow-up was less exhilarating: a match against Tír Chonaill Gaels, the London champions this year participating in Connacht for the first time as opposed to their traditional All-Ireland quarter-final.

“In fairness to Tír Chonaill they’ve a good set-up. A couple of us went over to the drawn final and I hadn’t been there before so it was a bit of a shock to me how good a game it was and how well organised and coached both teams were.

“That’s what we were preparing for but I suppose some lads mightn’t have been looking at it that way but we got out of it. They were probably thinking that they’d a better chance this year because they weren’t playing provincial champions. This week is a short turnaround and we’re hoping we can get a reaction from last week’s performance and that they’ll lift it.”

They’ll need to, given that they are up against the club that has won two of the last four All-Irelands.

“They’re the team we have to take down,” according to Shine, “whereas back in the day we were that team. We need to get back. There’s no reason why if we turn up on Sunday we won’t be there or thereabouts.”