Harry Plunkett is a key performer for Tullamore. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Offaly SFC Final
Tullamore 0-15 Ferbane 0-14
By Kevin Egan at Glenisk O'Connor Park
After securing their place in the county final with an incredible defensive record, conceding 4-23 in five championship games, Tullamore needed to find their scoring boots to come through an enthralling and engaging Offaly senior football final against Ferbane this afternoon in Tullamore.
There was no cause for panic in the Tullamore dressing room when they turned around 0-9 to 0-5 behind against their West Offaly opponents, and even less when they fired four points in succession to draw level with just 10 minutes remaining with the aid of the breeze in the second half.
However, a few uncharacteristic errors allowed Ferbane back into the game and some outstanding shooting from last year’s defeated finalists, with just one wide and two shots dropped short in the hour, meant that Tullamore were 0-13 to 0-11 adrift with a little over five minutes to play.
Man of the Match John Furlong got their comeback underway with an excellent free off his less-favoured right foot, and the Blues got a stroke of luck when Offaly senior hurler Leon Fox was penalised for overcarrying as he tried to carry the ball out of defence, allowing Harry Plunkett to strike his fifth free of the afternoon to level the game.
Corner back Daire McDaid strode forward to kick the lead score, and with Ferbane pressing forward, a breakaway move was crowned by Diarmuid Egan splitting the uprights for what seemed to be an insurance point.
Ferbane pushed back one last time and won a free five minutes into stoppage time, which Joe Maher converted. They needed to win the next kickout however and once Tullamore secured possession and sent the ball down to the Arden Road end of the ground, the final whistle sounded to confirm a 30th Offaly SFC title for the county town club, but also their first championship retention since 1926.
Since making a breakthrough win in 2019, their first title in a quarter of a century, Ferbane have been relentlessly competitive, but have been plagued with ill-luck in big knockout games. Two penalty shootout defeats in semi-finals were followed by a 1-5 to 0-6 loss to Tullamore in last year’s final, but after falling 0-4 to 0-2 behind in the early exchanges, they rallied with a superb run of seven points in a row.
Darragh Flynn and Cian Johnson were lively in the corners with good scores from play, but the real key to their purple patch was their control of midfield through Oisín Kelly and Kyle Higgins, as well as some darting runs from Cathal Flynn.
John Furlong set about curtailing Flynn’s influence while Cormac Egan was also very prominent as Tullamore worked their way back into the game, while 18-year-old Coláiste Choilm student Cillian Bourke also marked himself out as one to watch for the future with a dominant display at wing-forward, picking out three superb high catches and playing a key role in what was a physical and high-tempo game throughout.
Scorers for Tullamore: Harry Plunkett 0-5 (5fs), John Furlong 0-4 (3fs), Nigel Bracken 0-2, Cormac Egan 0-1, Dan Fox 0-1, Daire McDaid 0-1, Diarmuid Egan 0-1.
Scorers for Ferbane: Joe Maher 0-6 (6fs), Cian Johnson 0-3 (1f), Darragh Flynn 0-3 (0-2f), Cathal Flynn 0-1 ('45), Jack Clancy 0-1.
Tullamore: Corey White; Paul McConway, Declan Hogan, Daire McDaid; Nigel Bracken, John Furlong, Oisin Keenan-Martin; Aaron Leavy, Arron Hensey; Cillian Bourke, Michael Brazil, Cormac Egan; Luke Egan, Dan Fox, Harry Plunkett.
Subs: Diarmuid Egan for Hensey (30), Niall Furlong for L Egan (52), Mike Fox for D Fox (60+2), Seán McCabe for D Egan (60+5).
Ferbane: David Dunican; Patrick Taaffe, Ciaran Cahill, Jack Egan; Kevin Nugent, Leon Fox, Stephen Wren; Oisín Kelly, Kyle Higgins; Brian Carroll, Cathal Flynn, Jack Clancy; Cian Johnson, Joe Maher, Darragh Flynn.
Subs: David Nally for Carroll (34), Shane Nally for Clancy (46), David Kelly for Higgins (60+2).
Referee: Eamon O'Connor (Ballycommon).
