Corofin GAA (Galway)

Corofin

Corafinne
Founded:	1925
County:	Galway
Colours:	Saffron And Green
Grounds:	Corofin GAA Grounds
Coordinates:	53°26′11.89″N8°51′32.40″W / 53.4366361°N 8.8590000°W / 53.4366361; -8.8590000
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Connacht champions Galway champions Football: 5 10 23

Corofin GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Corofin, County Galway, Ireland. The club serves the two parishes of Cummer and Kilmoylan and Belclare.

Corofin are the 2019–20 All-Ireland Club Champions, after winning their third-successive All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final by defeating Kilcoo of Down in January 2020.

History

The club has had a long association with the GAA dating back as far as its inception. Corofin born and long time local parish priest, Dr Patrick Duggan, who was then Bishop of Clonfert was Michael Cusack's first choice to be the clerical patron of the new association in 1884. ^[1] However, the Bishop (then 71 years of age) declined the invitation on health grounds, and directed the delegation to the more youthful Dr Croke the Archbishop of Cashel. ^[1]

The current club was formed in 1925 as a result of an amalgamation between Corofin and Belclare. ^[1] With the disruption of war and emigration in the first two decades of the 20th century, it was increasingly difficult for the two rural clubs to be competitive against the town teams. The name of the new club was decided when Corofin (captained by Tom Molloy) defeated Belclare (captained by Hubert McHugh) in a game in Anbally on Easter Sunday, 12 April 1925.^{[ citation needed ]}

It was also in 1925 that Tom Molloy became the first man from the parish to win an All-Ireland senior football medal.^{[ citation needed ]} Molloy went on to train Galway to win the 1934 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final and the Roscommon team in the 1940s to All-Ireland successes. ^[2]

Later years

Of the club's 21 Galway Senior Football Championship title wins, 18 of these have been since 1991. The club has also won 10 Connacht Senior Club Football Championship titles. In 1998, 2015, 2018 2019 and 2020 the club won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.

Corofin won the 2019 Galway Senior Football Championship, defeating Tuam Stars in a replay on a scoreline of 11 points to 8 points. ^[3] This win allowed the club to become the third club to win seven Galway senior football championship titles in a row (2013–2019). ^[3]

In 2019, the club won their second successive All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship, defeating Dr Crokes in the 2018–19 All-Ireland Club Championship final on a scoreline of 2-16 to 10 points.

In 2020, Corofin became the first GAA club team (in either hurling or football) to win three back-to-back All-Ireland club titles, beating Kilcoo after extra-time in the 2019–20 final. ^[4]

Later that year, Mountbellew–Moylough defeated Corofin in the county semi-final at Pearse Stadium, the club's first Galway SFC loss in 49 games going back to 2012. ^{[5] [6]}

Titles

• All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship (5): 1998, 2015, ^[7] 2018, 2019, ^[8] 2020 ^[4]
• Galway Senior Football Championship (23): 1932, 1946, 1977, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, ^[9] 2014, ^[10] 2015, ^[11] 2016, ^[12] 2017, ^[13] 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 ^[14]
• Connacht Senior Club Football Championship (10): 1991, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2009, 2014, ^[15] 2016, ^[16] 2017, ^[17] 2018, 2019 ^[18]
• Galway Minor Football Championship (12): 1962, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012

Notable players

Kieran Fitzgerald in 2015

• Ian Burke
• Daithí Burke
• Kieran Fitzgerald
• Martin McNamara
• Kieran Molloy (played for Corofin then NUI Galway in the Sigerson Cup on the same day in February 2018) ^{[19] [20] [21] [22]}
• Gary Sice

References

1. "Corofin GAA Club History". Corofin GAA Club. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
2. "Burning passion hard to quench". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
3. "Galway kingpins Corofin make it seven crowns in a row". 3 November 2019.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. "Corofin find a little extra to banish brave Kilcoo and claim third successive All-Ireland SFC club title". 19 January 2020.
5. Galway SFC: Corofin crash out Hogan Stand. 27 September 2020.
6. After 49 games unbeaten in Galway, Corofin are defeated as Mountbellew claim big scalp The42.ie. 27 September 2020.
7. "Corofin claim title at HQ". RTÉ Sport . 17 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
8. "Classy Corofin retain All-Ireland crown in style". RTÉ Sport . 17 March 2019.
9. "Sice inspires as Corofin cruise to win in Galway showpiece". The Score. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
10. "Corofin cruise to 16th title". Irish Examiner . 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
11. "Galway SFC final: three-in-a-row for Corofin". Hogan Stand . 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
12. "Corofin make history with Galway four in a row". Irish Examiner . 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
13. "Galway SFC final: Corofin complete a famous five-in-a-row". Hogan Stand . 15 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
14. "Corofin beat Maigh Cuilinn in tough conditions in Tuam". RTE Sport. 27 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
15. "Classy Corofin on course for greater glory". Irish Examiner . 24 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
16. "Relentless Corofin show no mercy as St Brigid's buckle". Irish Examiner . 28 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
17. "Connacht club SFC final: Corofin go the extra mile to retain crown". Hogan Stand . 26 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
18. "Connacht club SFC final: Corofin make it four-in-a-row". Hogan Stand . 24 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
19. O'Brien, Kevin (17 February 2018). "Agony and ecstasy for Kieran Molloy who played for both NUIG and Corofin today". The42.ie.
20. Browne, P. J. (17 February 2018). "Kieran Molloy Makes Mad Dash From Club Semi To Make Sub Appearance In Sigerson Cup Final". Balls.ie.
21. "Kieran Molloy feels football's highs and lows". RTÉ. 17 February 2018.
22. "Corofin Star Kieran Molloy Makes Dramatic Appearance For NUIG In Sigerson Cup Final". Pundit Arena. 17 February 2018.

External links

• Official Corofin GAA Club website