‘Want and hunger the key ingredients’ – Canning 

As Connacht quarter finals go, they don’t get much bigger than this.

This Sunday’s meeting of Pádraig Pearses and Corofin has the ingredients for a classic. After all, both sides came through their campaigns in rude health. Pearses shipped a combined total of just 1-12 in their county semi final and decider while they dominated all bar five minutes of that showpiece event nearly three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Corofin have shipped just one goal in Championship combat this year. With both sides possessing such strong rearguards and a multitude of players who can pop up with key scores at the other end, the feeling is that whoever wins this game will be favourites for provincial glory.

This could prove to be a war of attrition with Pearses manager Frank Canning outlining that his players must be willing to push their bodies to the limit, particularly in the dying embers when minds and bodies are tired. He believes this will be the difference between victory and defeat.

“All teams at this stage are defensively well structured and we would like to think we are well structured like Corofin. It is all about the want and the hunger. The lad that makes the extra run or breaks the tackle, that is what it is all about to break down defences like that. Hopefully we will be mentally prepared for that,” Canning explained.

Tuam Stadium has proved a happy home for Corofin. It was there that they defeated Pádraig Pearses in the 2019 Connacht final and although home advantage will be helpful to the Corofin cause, Canning is excited at entering enemy territory to try and end the Galway side’s hopes of a first provincial title since 2019.

“Tuam Stadium is the home of Galway football. Any club team will tell you that they want to play club football there, Corofin will be very comfortable there so we just have to prepare as best we can.

“The top six inches is what we are striving to prepare for. Training is going well so we just have to be prepared to meet the big challenge in front of us because it will be our toughest game all year in a stadium, they are comfortable in,” he noted.

Pádraig Pearses were forced to see off the Gaels and gales to secure their third Fahey Cup in six seasons. The Woodmount based side survived Roscommon Gaels’ late fightback to secure another famous triumph.

Canning feels the mental fortitude his side showed to overcome the effects of Storm Ashley and a ferocious comeback can stand his side in good stead.

“The conditions weren’t fair to either team on the day. We felt we played really well in the first half. Then the Gaels got their purple patch of five points in six minutes and that put the pressure on. We responded well though and to be honest it doesn’t matter how you win them as long as you do.

“You have to be able to survive rough moments if you are to win a county final. I am always saying it. The game is played between the white lines and it is how players respond. Players win matches and invariably lose matches, so I was just delighted our lads pushed on when the pressure came on.

“Before the county final I said they (Roscommon Gaels) were a good football team. They were always going to get their couple of moments in the match and we were hoping we would get ours. I wasn’t surprised the Gaels came back.

“They did kick some brilliant scores and no matter who you are playing now in the Championship, you will get teams who are equipped to hurt you. It is trying to negate that type of stuff. You want to hurt them for longer than they are hurting you so ultimately the team that does that will come out on top,” Canning asserted.

Pearses are a club with lofty ambitions as they try and build a reputation for winning titles akin to what Corofin have done for the past two decades.

Canning wants Pearses to develop a long-term culture of winning games and silverware akin to this Sunday’s opponents.

“Corofin are on the map in relation to football and how they play the game. We are going to be up against it, but we are looking forward to it.

“We are trying to get there but we are a long way behind the likes of Corofin. We are trying to create our own bit of history. We have a bit of a way to go yet. You have to do what Corofin have been doing to be known in all quarters and Corofin have certainly done that. We are trying to do our bit to put us on the map aswell,” Canning concluded.