The All-Ireland Football Sevens has been kick-starting the championship weekend for 27 years now, but Saturday's competition ended in torrential rain at host club Kilmacud Crokes.
Just as the 48 teams completed their group matches, the skies opened and didn't let up for the rest of the afternoon.
That didn't deter some tense competition which culminated in Corofin bringing the title back to Galway, denying Ballinderry the honour of taking it north to Derry for the second year in succession.
The final turned into one of the more exciting encounters of the day, with Corofin taking a commanding lead early on. David Morris fired home their first goal after three minutes and they finished the period with three more from Shane Conlisk, Aidan Donnellan and Michael Comer. The All-Ireland club champions of two years back lead 4-5 to 0-8 and seemed to be coasting.
However, Ballinderry captain Barry McOscar got the all-important goal within minutes of the restart and Darren Crozier added the second soon after. Suddenly Corofin were stuck in the mud and were lucky to survive. Goals from Jarleth Bell and McOscar again brought Ballinderry within a point as the clock ticked out, but both Gerard Cassidy and Conlieth Gilligan saw their late equalising chances go wide. Covered in mud from head to toe, Corofin held on 5-9 to 4-11.
COROFIN: M McNamara, D Comer (0-2), A Fally (1-0), D Morris (2-0), Kieran Comer (0- 5), M Comer (1-0), Kevin Comer, A Donnellan (1-1), D Reilly, S Conlisk (1-1).
BALLINDERRY: C Gilligan (0-1), D Crozier (1-0), S Mullan (0-1), N McCusker, D Bateson, J Bell (1-1), F Muldoon (0-1), B McOscar (2- 3), D Conway, G Cassidy (0-4). Semi-finals: Corofin 1-11, St Brigids (Roscommon) 1-1; Ballinderry 3-7, Donoghmore (Tyrone) 1-6; Quarter-finals: Corofin 2-5, Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-8; St Brigids 5-6, Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin) 2-6; Donoghmore 1-9, Blessington (Wicklow) 1-8; Ballinderry 6-3, Naomh Olafs (Dublin) 0-6; Round 4 Qualifiers: Donoghmore 3-8, Bryansford (Down) 2-4; Blessington 0-7, Castledawson (Derry) 0-5; Ballinderry 1-4, Glen (Derry) 1-4 (Ballinderry win on penalties); Naomh Olafs 0-8, Round Towers (Kildare) 0-8 (Naomh Olafs win on penalties).
