Corofin 0-15

Tuam Stars 2-9

Corofin's quest for a seven-in-a-row of Frank Fox Cups is still alive, but only after Gary Sice converted a free with the last kick of the game at Tuam Stadium to earn a replay with Tuam Stars.

The back-to-back All-Ireland champions looked to be facing certain defeat when Jamie Murphy edged Tuam ahead in the third minute of injury-time, but there was still enough time for Sice to rescue his side with two late frees.

Underdogs Tuam had wind advantage in the first half and led by 0-3 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter thanks to points from Brian Mannion (two) and Noel Henry. They raised their first green flag in the 26th minute when Paul Collins took a return pass from Garry O'Donnell before firing home. That gave the town side a 1-5 to 0-4 lead, but Corofin replied with scores from Liam Silke and Michael Farragher to trail by the minimum at the break.

Corofin's Ian Burke and Tuam Stars' Daragh O'Rourke get to know each other. ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon.

Corofin introduced captain Micheál Lundy for the second half, but passed up on two guilt-edged goal chances. First, Silke hit the crossbar from a penalty won by Jason Leonard and then Silke had a shot blocked by the Tuam defence.

Despite those misses, Corofin edged ahead with frees from Leonard and Sice before they were rocked by the concession of a second goal with seven minutes remaining. Brian Mannion was pulled back for a penalty which Jamie Murphy converted to propel Tuam into a 2-8 to 0-12 lead.

But they couldn't hold on as Sice saved the day for the champions.

Corofin - B Power; C McGrath, C Silke, R Mahon; C Cunningham, L Silke (0-2), D McHugh; K Molloy (0-2), R Steede; G Sice (0-4, 3f), D Wall, J Leonard (0-4, 2f); Martin Farragher (0-1), Michael Farragher (0-2), I Burke. Subs: M Lundy for R Mahon, D Burke for C Cunningham, G Burke for D Wall.

Tuam Stars - J Trayers; B O’Donnell, A Tierney, R O’Connor; G O’Donnell, D O'Rourke, B Mashengele; C Rhatigan, P Collins (1-0); N Henry (0-1), J Murphy (1-1, 1-0pen), S Kelly; B Mannion (0-5, 2f), M Mannion, B O’Connell (0-1). Subs: G Connell (0-1) for N Henry, C McWalter for S Kelly.

Referee - G O Conamha.

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