Corofin (Galway) 2-13
Ballintubber (Mayo) 1-07
Classy Corofin claimed their sixth Connacht club football title with a nine-point victory over Ballintubber at Elvery's MacHale Park.
The Galway champions justified their favouritism with yet another impressive display as they eased into next February's All-Ireland series. All Star forward Cillian O'Connor was held to a single point from play on a day the first-time finalists from Mayo will want to forget in a hurry.
With Ian Burke producing a man of the match display, Corofin should have been more than three points, 0-7 to 0-4, up at the break. O'Connor was Ballintubber's only scorer in an opening period that saw Burke and team captain Mike Farragher kick some fantastic points for the 1998 All-Ireland winners.
Corofin finally made their superiority count on the scoreboard when they scored an unanswered 2-3 in the third quarter. Former All Star corner back Kieran Fitzgerald opened the second half scoring before Gary Sice raised the first green flag in the 38th minute.
The wing forward turned provider for Burke to fist home a second goal three minutes later to extend the north Galway club's advantage to 12 points, 2-10 to 0-4.
To their credit, Ballintubber didn't give up and Alan Dillon got a goal back. But Corofin's victory was never in doubt.
Corofin - T Healy; L Silke, K Fitzgerald (0-1), C Silke; G Higgins, C McGrath, A Burke; D Burke, R Steede (0-1); G Sice (1-2), Michael Farragher (0-1), G Delaney (0-1); Martin Farragher (0-1), M Lundy (0-1), I Burke (1-5, 0-1f). Subs: D Wall for Martin Farragher, C Cunningham for C Silke (BC), J Canney for Michael Farragher, P Kelly for C McGrath, M Comer for R Steede.
Ballintubber - B Walsh; D Larkin, C Hallinan, B Murphy; M Kelly, M Plunkett, R O'Connor; J Gibbons, S Broderick; D Coleman, A Dillon (1-1), D O'Connor; A Plunkett, C O'Connor (0-6, 5f), P O'Connor. Subs: R Geraghty for P O'Connor, D Summerville for A Plunkett, J Geraghty for M Plunkett, D Geraghty for S Broderick.
Referee - P Neilan.
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