Paul McConway said players deserve all praise for pulling game out of the fire

TULLAMORE manager Paul McConway said the players deerved all the praise for pulling the game out of the fire as they battled back from a three point deficit late in the game to win Sunday's county final by four points.

He said the initial feeling was just relief. “Look, obviously it's very emotional there, you know you think the game was nearly gone from you coming towards the end and then we pulled it out of the fire. Those players deserve all the credit really because they pulled that one out of the fire when it looked like it was gone.

“We knew the game was going to go down to the wire. There was only going to be a kick to the ball in it. We knew that coming into the game. That's going on the previous couple of years with Ferbane. They're a seriously good side. They've got players all around the pitch that can hurt you. They have a good midfield. They're big physically. It was always going to go down to the wire. We're just delighted to get over the line.”
Having played against the wind, you were only three points down at half time, so you must be reasonably satisfied at that stage?

“I thought we controlled much of that first half, until maybe the last five or six minutes when Ferbane got two two-pointers, and it kind of changed the complexion then of the halftime score. So, you would have been happy enough with that going into half time only three down, And I think we picked them off fairly early in the second half. We went a point up after about seven or eight minutes into that second half. So we looked to be in a really good position. We probably missed a couple of chances in that period and after that. And Ferbane then had their purple patch for about 10 minutes. I think they hit us for 1-3. Momentum was completely with them. So to wrestle that momentum back coming near the end, I suppose it is very pleasing.”

Tullamore won the kick out after the goal and got a quick point which helped change the momentum towards the end.

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“Yeah, and that's it, we talk about Harry's two-point frees and I think we got a score before that as well, but you also have to look at Corey White's moments. In that pressurised moment to kick out the next kick out, that's crucial. We can talk about the two two-pointers obviously, but I think we have to acknowledge how calm Corey was under that pressure as well. We were able to pick off that next kick out. So look, we're just delighted.”

Tullamore also survived some scary moments around their goal in the closing seconds but managed to keep Ferbane out.

“It was never comfortable, that's one thing for sure, even though we got the two points. But look, as I say, we did well to close out the game.”

Paul experienced victory on the field with Tullamore in recent years but was on the sideline as manager for the first year this year, so how different was it?

“It's far easier when you're playing anyway, that's one thing for sure. You'd miss the buzz of it, playing-wise. It's all about the players, really. From my side, I'm just thrilled for those lads, because I know the effort they put in. So look, it's different.”

Tullamore now have three weeks before facing Westmeath champions The Downs in the Leinster Championship. They ran eventual All-Ireland champions Cuala close last year so would fancy a run at the Leinster championship this year.

“Yeah, look, I suppose it's every game at a time there and you're taking on the next challenge. We go into the Leinster game now and we will obviously prep for that and by the end of this week we'll be knuckling down again. It's another good challenge for this group of players. I suppose what we're looking to see is what is their ceiling really. So it's going to be a huge test for us again. So we take that head on and look at it. It's a privilege to be in that situation. We're privileged to be representing Offaly now. So we look at that now over the next couple of days,” the managed concluded.

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