Ballycumber stay up on merit as one of Offaly's great football clubs takes step back to third tier

TWO clubs fighting hard to retain their status in the Senior “B” Football Championship but with an almost unspoken understanding that a drop back might not do them any long term harm met in a relegation play off replay in O'Connor Park on Sunday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship relegation play off replay

Ballycumber 0-10

Gracefield 0-5

In the wind up, it was a once mighty Gracefield who took the step back into the third tier as Ballycumber produced a fine second half display to stay up entirely on merit.

Both clubs have seen their fortunes plummet in recent years. Gracefield is one of Offaly football's great names, a club that conjures up glorious memories of great teams and fantastic players. They supplied key players to the great Offaly teams of the 1960s, '70s and '80s, won senior football titles in the 1960s, '70s and '80s and remained a competitive senior football side into the 2000s before slipping into reverse.

Their contribution to Offaly's All-Ireland winning sides has been immense and they instilled some real steel into these famous teams but things have gone badly wrong for them in recent years. Relegation to the third tier will be a bitter pill for many in the area to swallow but it may prove to be a blessing in disguise as they begin the process of rebuilding and engage in some real soul searching.

Absolutely no one will or should put the boot into a tremendous club who has produced so many great characters, on and off the field, over the decades but this display showed why they are in this predicament. 0-5 to 0-1 behind at half time after playing against the wind, Gracefield were well set up for the win but ran out of steam and ideas in the second half and they have no complaints at their loss.

A smaller rural club, Ballycumber enjoyed several years in senior football in the 2000s but success was always going to be more cyclical for them and they have been in transition mode for some time. They may also be living on borrowed time at this level but they fought very hard for their win here and did very well to pull it out of the fire in the second half.

It was very obvious in the first half why both sides are in relegation trouble with a good few errors and sloppy play but in fairness to them their approach was spot on and they clearly wanted to survive.

Ballycumber led by 0-5 to 0-1 at half time after playing with a stiff wind but it didn't look like this would be enough. They had five points on the board after 22 minutes, two of them a Gary Larkin two pointer but left at least 1-2, maybe 2-2 behind them – Marcus Keena was wide with a great 13^th minute goal chance and Jamie Cornally drew a good double save from Jamie Rigney six minutes later.

Gracefield were at nothing for 20 minutes and didn't have a wide until the 18^th minute but they got well on top coming up to half time. They had to wait until the 31^st minute for their only first half point, kicked by the veteran Niall Smith, but the volume of possession they had late on suggested they could pull it out of the fire in the second half – they kicked five wides in the closing ten minutes,

The introduction of substitutes had a big impact in the second half. Dan Hanlon came off the bench for Gracefield and made an instant impact, kicking three quick points and carrying the ball very well as they got back into it, trailing by 0-6 to 0-4 after 39 minutes.

It was set up for Gracefield but then they stopped and Ballycumber were clearly the better team from here on. Former county player Nigel Grennan made a huge impact for them off the bench, matching Hanlon's three points and displaying real footballing intelligence.

He got two points and Keith Lawlor floated over a beauty as Ballycumber steadied the ship to lead by 0-9 to 0-4 after 46 minutes. Ballycumber's Sean Creevy got a 47^th minute black card for blocking a Gracefield run but the losers still struggled badly, failing to score with the numerical advantage. Sub Michael Wilcox blasted over with a 59^th minute goal chance but Gracefield were now out of road and Ballycumber closed out the deal comfortably, Grennan curling over his third point in injury time.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cormac Quinn (Ballycumber): As he has done so often for Ballycumber in the past, Cormac Quinn delivered for Ballycumber, getting through a mountain of very solid work in midfield and doing the simple thing very efficiently. Nigel Grennan was a contender for his second half tour-de-force while John Egan was excellent in a very good defence.

Gracefield's problems can be summed up by the fact that their best player was their oldest one, Niall Smith. A former county midfielder but now close to 40, Smith won a lot of ball around the middle and tried his best to save their bacon. Dan Hanlon was brilliant off the bench, despite being sent off near the end for a second yellow card, and he almost rescued Gracefield but too many players floundered in all areas.

THE SCORERS

Ballycumber: Nigel Grennan 0-3, Keith Lawlor and Gary Larkin (1 x 2p) 0-2 each, Clive Keena, Cormac Quinn (f) and Sean Creevy 0-1 each.

Gracefield: Dan Hanlon 0-3, Niall Smith and Michael Wilcox 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BALLYCUMBER: Jamie Rigney; Alan Flanagan, John Egan, Adam Daly; Clive Keena, Ethan Keena, Harry Champ; Cormac Quinn, Cathal Guinan; Sean Creevy, Gary Larkin, Jamie Cornally; Keith Lawlor, Joe Lowry, Marcus Keena. Subs – Nigel Grennan for Cornally (41m),Colin Daly for Lowry (55m).

GRACEFIELD: John Lawrence; Darragh Lawrence, Gavin Smyth, Patrick Hurley; Corey McEvoy, Mark Ward, David Hickey; Philip Hurley, Jason Slattery; Michael Wilcox, Stephen Flanagan, Jamie Hanlon; Cian Murphy, Jack Walsh, Josh Kelly. Subs – Dan Hanlon for McEvoy (HT), Shane Curley for Kelly (HT), Craig Weldon for Flanagan (41m), Michael Wilcox for Darragh Lawrence (54m).

Referee – Eamon O'Connor, Ballycommon.

REFEREE WATCH

Eamon O'Connor has had a very good year and he handled this very well. He should have sent off Gracefield's Philip Hurley for a second yellow in the 12^th minute. Hurley had got an earlier yellow for a heavy hit and his neck high tackle on Cormac Quinn merited another one every day of the week but O'Connor gave him and Gracefield the break. He communicated well with his officials, awarding Gracefield am 14 metre free in the first half but overturning it after talking with a linesman.

Gracefield committed a few breaches of the three man forward rule in the second half but got away with them as the linesmen didn't spot them.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The introduction of Nigel Grennan was a big one as Gracefield were snapping on Ballycumber's heels at that stage. Grennan settled them with important scores as well as showing his vast experience.

VENUE WATCH

O'Connor Park was perfect with a small crowd in for this curtain raiser.

WHAT'S NEXT

The season is over for both sides.

STATISTICS

Wides: Gracefield – 9 (5 in first half); Ballycumber - 6 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ballycumber – 0; Gracefield – 4 (Philip Hurley, Niall Smith, Dan Hanlon 2).

Black cards: Ballycumber – 1 (Sean Creevy); Gracefield – 0.

Red cards: Gracefield – 1 (Dan Hanlon, 2 yellows); Ballycumber 0.