The Gaoth Dobhair greyhound.
After being restrained for months, after a Christmas of waiting and after months of training and of challenge games, the greyhounds of Gaoth Dobhair and Corofin were finally let loose on the Páirc Sean Mac Diarmada sod in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday.
And once the whistle went, the two teams took off after the O’Neil’s size five like it was a hare just leaving the traps.
Daire Ó Baoill was the fastest out. On an emotional day for his parish, the 21-year-old got them off to a flying start when after two minutes of end-to-end action, he ran onto the ball on his own 45 and drove on down the field with purpose.
He kept on going, on through the midfield and into the half forward line. The Corofin backs stood off this lightning bursting burst. How can you defend against speed?
So kept on going, and, with his pace increasing with each step and with each solo, he found himself 25 yards out from the Corofin goal, 90 yards from where he started and he finished with a beautiful curling effort.
Daire Ó Baoill the Gaoth Dobhair greyhound pic.twitter.com/buNMkKzVbP
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) February 16, 2019
Gaoth Dobhair off the mark.
Corofin weren’t long to reply though, with goals from Gary Sice and this well worked effort from Martin Farragher.
OVER THE TOP !!
An críoch ag @MartinFarragher do @CorofinGAA @Galway_GAA @TribesmenGAA @ConnachtGAA #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/w3OcTe4Z7y
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 16, 2019
They traded blows from then on in with both teams attacking hard and what transpired was an entertaining, wide open game of football.
Football as it should be played.