Offaly SFC: Tullamore come back twice to beat Ferbane and win 30th title

It's the first time since 1926 that Tullamore have retained the title.

Sun, 13 Oct, 2024 - 20:07

Kevin Egan, Glenisk O’Connor Park

Offaly SFC final: Tullamore 0-15 Ferbane 0-14

Tullamore had to mount two separate second half comebacks to overcome an efficient and tigerish display from Ferbane in this afternoon's Offaly senior football final, eventually prevailing by a single point at the end of a high-quality contest that provided a lot of encouragement for watching joint managers Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly.

All-Ireland U20 medallists Cormac Egan and John Furlong were both exceptional for the Blues with Furlong picking up his second Man of the Match award in this fixture, but 18-year-old Coláiste Choilm student Cillian Bourke also marked the card of supporters with a performance that was laden with quality and power, helping to nudge the club towards a 30th county senior title and their first championship retention since 1926.

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 ten minutes of playing 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.

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, referee Eamon O’Connor sounded the long whistle.

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.

Tullamore were no less effective when they found momentum after half-time however, as a side lauded for the defensive strength (they conceded 4-23 in five championship games prior to this final) delivered some outstanding scores to retain their title.

Scorers for Tullamore: H Plunkett 0-5f, J Furlong 0-4 (0-3f), N Bracken 0-2, C Egan 0-1, D Fox 0-1, D McDaid 0-1, D Egan 0-1.

Scorers for Ferbane: J Maher 0-6f, C Johnson 0-3 (0-1m), D Flynn 0-3 (0-2f), C Flynn 0-1 ('45), J Clancy 0-1.

TULLAMORE: C White; P McConway, D Hogan, D McDaid; N Bracken, J Furlong, O Keenan-Martin; A Leavy, A Hensey; C Bourke, M Brazil, C Egan; L Egan, Dan Fox, Harry Plunkett.

Subs: D Egan for Hensey (30), N Furlong for L Egan (52), M Fox for D Fox (60+2), S McCabe for D Egan (60+5).

FERBANE: D Dunican; P Taaffe, C Cahill, J Egan; K Nugent, L Fox, S Wren; O Kelly, K Higgins; B Carroll, C Flynn, J Clancy; C Johnson, J Maher, D Flynn.

Subs: D Nally for Carroll (34), S Nally for Clancy (46), D Kelly for Higgins (60+2).

Referee: Eamon O'Connor.