Corofin manager Kevin O’Brien believes the lessons learned in their Galway SFC final stalemate with Mountbellew/Moylough helped to sow the seeds for their third All-Ireland Club SFC success in five years.

The Galway and Connacht champions retained the Andy Merrigan Cup in emphatic fashion at the expense of Dr Crokes in Croke Park today and, afterwards, O’Brien referenced their close shave in the county decider last October.

“We got a rude awakening that day and were probably lucky to get away with it,” the victorious manager told RTE Sport.

“But then we played well in Connacht semi-final and I just think that you’ll always get an off day when you’re so long on the road.

“The last few years in Galway you play a lot of the teams, particularly the way the format is now at the same time. Once you get out of your own county, you’re Galway champions and you get a new lease of life going into Connacht and the All-Ireland.

“Once you’re Connacht champions you’re only one game away from Croke Park and two away from winning it. It’s a different lease of life. The shackles come off a small bit.”

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