Champions Tullamore blow more hot than cold in comprehensive win

TULLAMORE gave a bit of a mixed bag type display, blowing hot and cold at times but none of their contenders with pretensions on their Senior Football Championship crown will have been in any way exhilarated after watching them easily brush Bracknagh aside in their group 2 opener on Saturday in Bracknagh.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 1

Tullamore 3-14

Bracknagh 0-6

Despite what the 3-14 to 0-6 scoreline may indicate, it was an imperfect display by Tullamore and they certainly won't have been happy with some of the football they produced in the first half but they will still have been pleased with the way it all ended up.

With new coach Stephen Rochfort dictating things on the sideline alongside manager Paul McConway, it took Tullamore time to really find their feet and exploit the new rules in the way they wished to.

They struggled a bit in the first half, very good from their own end line up to a few metres the far side of midfield but with way too much breaking down inside there as they missed some easy chances, over played the ball on a few occasions and were just a small bit sloppy. With backs and forwards interchanging regularly, it took players time to adapt and Tullamore were not great in that first half.

Yet their victory was never in the slightest of doubt and they controlled this game for most of the first half, playing into the wind.

They were superb defensively, restricting a very hard working but outclassed Bracknagh to six points, just one from play. That was fair going as Mark Dunne and Jason Dempsey worked very hard at midfield, ensuring that Tullamore didn't have it all their own way here.

The game was more or less over at half time with Tullamore leading by 2-4 to 0-3. Their first goal was a super strike by the raiding Luke Bourke in the sixth minute, putting them 1-1 to 0-1 ahead. Tullamore led by 1-3 to 0-1 after thirteen minutes and didn't score again until the 24^th minute. Luke Plunkett could have went for goal then but was right to fist over the bar as Tullamore needed a score after a sequence of poor misses and wasted attacks.

Harry Plunkett was grateful to Bracknagh goalkeeper Keith Keogh for their second goal in the 28^th minute. He had somehow failed to score a goal seconds earlier, stumbling after Keogh saved well from Mike Fox and hitting the post from point blank range. Keogh gifted the ball from the kickout to Tullamore who quickly worked it into Plunkett and he finished well.

Not scoring from play was a cardinal sin for Bracknagh with the wind and they didn't create many chances against a very efficient Tullamore defence, apart from one that Mikey Cunningham blazed wide.

Bracknagh's first and only point from play came from Conor Melia in the 35^th minute when Corey White, who had been excellent with his kickouts apart from that, went short and it held up inside the arc. Tullamore didn't play it and the ball went to Melia who made it 2-5 to 0-5.

With just two scores separating them, Tullamore quickly shut the door on Bracknagh. Cillian Bourke, Mike Fox and an improving Luke Plunkett pointed to make it 2-8 to 0-5. Bracknagh's final score was a Peter Cunningham free in the 43^rd minute and Tullamore played their best football in the closing quarter.

Their movement and efficiency levels crept ever higher and Bracknagh were opened up almost every time they went forward. The points flowed over and Tullamore's third goal in the 60^th minute was worth the journey alone – a super move ending with a Cormac Egan rasper to the bottom corner of the net.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Mike Fox (Tullamore): Some of Tullamore's key players played in fits and starts. Cormac Egan had a super first half, getting on a huge amount of ball while John Furlong found his A game in the second half when he effectively ran the show. Cillian Bourke was in and out of it but it was very much on the positive side and his influence was immense, increasing as it wore on.

Tullamore will be thrilled with the way some of their less established players performed. Ben Heffernan and Luke Bourke were rock steady in defence, with Heffernan doing the simple thing very well and Bourke linking play very effectively, before picking up a second half knock.

Michael Brazil did a lot of good work in the middle third and Tullamore's attack looked much better in the second half. Liam Dillane made a very good debut – hungry for the ball and eager to impress, he moved well and will be a fine addition when his shooting eyes are in. Mike Fox is the choice, he scored three points, came deep for the ball and moved it on well. He had a few scoring assists and fitted very well into Tullamore's pattern and the way they want to play football – Niall Furlong also did a lot of very good work for Tullamore.

THE SCORERS

Tullamore: Harry Plunkett 1-5 (1 x 2pf, 2f), Luke Bourke and Cormac Egan 1-0 each, Mike Fox 0-3, Cillian Bourke and Luke Plunkett 0-2 each, Niall Furlong and Dan Fox 0-1 each.

Bracknagh: Mikey Cunningham 0-3 (3f), Peter Cunningham 0-2 (1f and 1 '45'), Conor Melia 0-1.

THE TEAMS

TULLAMORE: Corey White; Oisin Keenan-Martin, Pa Robiliard, Ben Heffernan; Cormac Egan, John Furlong, Luke Bourke; Cillian Bourke, Aaron Leavy; Liam Dillane, Michael Brazil, Niall Furlong; Harry Plunkett, Luke Plunkett, Mike Fox. Subs – Dan Fox for Brazil (44m), Michael Brazil for Luke Bourke (55m), Declan Hogan for Cillian Bourke (61m).

BRACKNAGH: Keith Keogh; Adam Kelly, Tom Hyland, Charlie Keogh; Eoin Hyland, Fionn Dempsey, Sean Dempsey; Mark Dunne, Jason Dempsey; Ricky Geoghegan, Peter Cunningham, Colm Cunningham; Eoghan Geoghegan, Mikey Cunningham, Conor Melia. Subs – Josh Maher for Ricky Geoghegan (46m), Colin Broderick for Eoin Hyland (54m),

Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan has made his name as a hurling referee but is well able to handle football games and he was very good here. He allowed play to run but kept control and dealt with things quickly.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

There was no big moment that decided this game but Cormac Egan's 60^th minute goal was a special score. The build up was fantastic, the sight of Egan running at full speed onto a ball with the goals in sight is a genuinely exciting one and his finish was out of the top drawer.

VENUE WATCH

Bracknagh had all hands on deck for this fixture, their pitch was well prepared and there were no issues.

WHAT'S NEXT

Bracknagh make the short journey to neighbours Clonbullogue in a huge parish derby next Sunday while Tullamore welcome neighbours Shamrocks to O'Connor Park on August 30.

STATISTICS

Wides: Tullamore – 11 (7 in first half); Bracknagh – 8 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Tullamore – 3 (Corey White, John Furlong, Cillian Bourke); Bracknagh – 2 (Jason Dempsey and Mikey Cunningham).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0