Three in a row as Tullamore once again find a way to win and gutted Ferbane overpowered late on

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship final

Tullamore 0-19

Ferbane 1-12

TULLAMORE'S capacity to win all sorts of games manifested itself quite spectacularly in O'Connor Park on Sunday when they wrestled victory from the jaws of defeat with a powerful late rally against a gutted Ferbane.

It was Tullamore's third consecutive county final win over Ferbane, a first three in a row since 1926 and a tribute to their resilience and ability to get the job done.

0-12 to 0-9 up with 44 minutes gone and a strong wind on their back, Tullamore were in the ideal position to launch for home but they displayed feet of clay in the next few minutes. Daire McDaid, from 10 metres, and Diarmuid Egan, off his weaker left foot, had poor wides while John Furlong underhit a point chance that kept the door open for Ferbane.

They almost went through it as they scored 1-2 in a scintillating spell of pressure to take a 1-12 to 0-12 lead with four minutes of normal time left. Brian Carroll, Cian Johnson (free) and David Nally had levelled it up with three quick points and they grabbed the lead with a 56^th minute Darragh Flynn goal.

Flynn had fisted wide off the post with a chance to put them in front moments earlier but when Cathal Flynn fed him, he made no mistake from close range and the win Ferbane had dreamed about was within touching distance. After losing the last two finals and going so close on a handful of occasions since bridging a 25 year gap in 2019, Ferbane were almost there but Tullamore were sensational in the closing four minutes plus just over four of injury time.

Harry Plunkett was their late hero. He had been a peripheral figure until then and had he not been the free taker and so accurate with any chance, he could have been looking over his shoulder at the line but you should never take off your free taker and most accurate kicker and the value of this policy was demonstrated in all its glory here. First he converted a free and then with the most severe pressure on, he stepped up to equalise with a two point free with 58 minutes gone – it was on the edge of the arc, in the perfect position for a right footed kicker and you would normally put your house on him but with that pressure on, it was a serious kick.

Suddenly Ferbane were gone, nothing left in the tank after giving such a great effort to get back into it. With the 60 minutes up, Harry Plunkett floated over a super two pointer and now Ferbane needed a goal to save themselves – a two pointer was not feasible into a wind that grew in strength as it wore on. They had pressure and there was still time to score two points but Tullamore defended in numbers. Paddy Clancy blazed a chance wide and Oisin Kelly had a goal shot blocked by a fiercely determined defence.

The four minutes of injury time was over when Harry Plunkett floated over another two point free, this time from out right, and in the heel of the hunt, his ice calm nature and ability to deliver under pressure won the day for Tullamore.

The first half had been like a game of chess with both sides very tactical and quite methodical in their play. It was a decent standard but there was little to set the pulse racing as Ferbane had first use of the wind.

They led by 0-3 to 0-1 after nine minutes but points from Luke Plunkett, Niall Furlong and Plunkett again had Tullamore 0-4 to 0-3 up after 21 minutes. It was an excellent position for Tullamore and Ferbane were in bother but they gave themselves a real chance when turning around with a 0-8 to 0-5 lead – Paddy Clancy and Cian Johnson (free) got two pointers, and Johnson also got one from play while Harry Plunkett replied with a Tullamore free.

As anticipated, Tullamore turned the screw with the wind on their backs in the second half. Aaron Leavy came into his own in the third quarter and got two points – the first could have been a goal as it was wide clear in front of him but he opted to fist over. Luke Plunkett equalised with his third point in the 37^th minute and Tullamore were all over them.

Diarmuid Egan got a lovely point, Niall Furlong trumped that for a 0-10 to 0-8 lead after 41 minutes. Ferbane were in danger of being gone but a Cian Johnson tap over free, for a new rules infringement, settled them down. Still Tullamore kept driving and Mike Fox came into his own, scoring two real poacher's points to give them that 0-12 to 0-9 lead after 44 minutes.

If the opening 45 minutes or so had been like a game of chest, it all went out the window in a magnificently exciting and entertaining closing quarter as both sides just went at it. Ferbane showed terrific character to get into a winning position, Tullamore matched that to snatch the prize from under their noses and it all ended up very memorable for the 3,540 attendance.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Niall Furlong (Tullamore): There was a case for Harry Plunkett, whose late heroics won the day, for Cormac Egan, who ran the whole game in the first twenty minutes and then fulfilled his defensive duty with great efficiency, for Daire McDaid who worked so hard to curtail the influence of the best player in the championship, Cathal Flynn, and succeeded in keeping him from making surging runs through into the areas where he could inflict harm – having said that, Flynn did a lot of teasing and probing and had Ferbane won, he would have been on their shortlist of contenders.

The choice is Niall Furlong who was immense. His older brother John was man of the match in the last two finals and Niall stood up here with a terrifically hard working display. His work rate was high and he oozed class on the ball. He scored two points and set up two for Mike Fox, one for Luke Plunkett among other assists. Niall can blow hot and cold at times and when he is cold, he is freezing but he was red hot the whole way here and had a serious performance.

Luke Plunkett, Aaron Leavy and Mike Fox all came good at different stages with Leavy very influential while their defence was magnificent as they ensured the Ferbane attack had to work so hard for everything.

It was another tremendously brave display by Ferbane but again there is no cigar at the end of it. Ciaran Cahill, David Nally, Cian Johnson and Cathal Flynn were among their best players but once again, they just couldn't cope with Tullamore and while they could have won it, they don't have a real hard luck story about their loss.

THE SCORERS

Tullamore: Harry Plunkett 0-8 (2 x 2pf, 1 x 2p, 2f), Luke Plunkett 0-3, Mike Fox, Aaron Leavy and Niall Furlong 0-2 each, Cormac Egan and Diarmuid Egan 0-1 each.

Ferbane: Cian Johnson 0-7 (1 x 2pf, 3f), Darragh Flynn 1-1, Paddy Clancy 0-2 (2p), David Nally, Brian Carroll 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

TULLAMORE: Corey White; Ben Heffernan, Declan Hogan, Daire McDaid; Cormac Egan, John Furlong, Oisin Keenan-Martin; Cillian Bourke, Aaron Leavy; Liam Dillane, Michael Brazil, Niall Furlong; Mike Fox, Luke Plunkett, Harry Plunkett. Subs – Diarmuid Egan for Dillane (35m), Nigel Bracken for Luke Plunkett (53m), Luke Bourke for Brazil (64m),

FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Aaron McCabe, Ciaran Cahill, Conor Dunican; Patrick Taaffe, David Nally, Kevin Nugent; Conor Grennan, Cathal Flynn; Brian Carroll, Adam Egan, Paddy Clancy; Cian Johnson, Jack Clancy, Darragh Flynn. Subs – Oisin Kelly for Grennan (HT), Kyle Higgins for Egan (40m),

Referee – Marius Stones, Clara.

REFEREE WATCH

Marius Stones had an excellent game. He got the vast majority of decisions right, there were no big flash points and he communicated well with his fellow officials and players.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The two point free that Harry Plunkett scored to level it up in the 58^th minute showed his quality, it probably changed the outcome and it showed his value to this team as well as breaking Ferbane's resolve.

VENUE WATCH

The weather was very unfortunate as it impacted on both the pitch and the crowd. That is one of the problems with the split season and county finals at the end of October as the chances of an inclement day are high. O'Connor Park is the best pitch in Offaly and it held up as well as could be expected but the day did hit the crowd – and if it stopped even 500 people from attending, that is €10,000 and a big hit to County Board finances. And it probably did keep at least that many away as the attendance of 3,540 was smaller than usual.

The steps are a big problem in the O'Connor Park stand. They are absolutely lethal in wet weather, very easy to slip and fall on. The announcer Eamon Cusack urged supporters to be cautious of them on several occasions but the County Board really should examine their options to see if they can be made safer in inclement weather – it was one of the few mistakes made in the O'Connor Park redevelopment back in the 2000s.

WHAT'S NEXT

Tullamore go on into the Leinster club championship.

STATISTICS

Wides: Tullamore – 9 (6 in first half); Ferbane – 4 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Tullamore – 1 (Diarmuid Egan); Ferbane – 1 (Oisin Kelly).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0