Ballycommon aim to turn tables on Clonbullogue in mouth watering Offaly SFC “B” final

IT will be all about the football on Sunday when Ballycommon and Clonbullogue clash in a Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B”Football Championship final that will set the pulse racing.

It has been a long drawn out championship thanks to a Gracefield appeal that has delayed it by two weeks longer than scheduled.

Gracefield successfully objected to scoring difference rules and group placings, even though they were already in the semi-finals. It resulted in Clonbullogue having to beat Ballycumber in a new quarter-final – Ballycumber had been beaten by Gracefield in the first one – and when the dust settled on it all, the original semi-final pairing of Gracefield and Clonbullogue emerged for the second time, almost with an air of inevitability.

It is all water under the bridge now and is not even a small factor in Sunday's final. It has nothing to do with it, will have zero bearing on the game and when it came to the crunch in the semi-finals, it was only football that counted as Clonbullogue proved to be stronger than Gracefield.

The pairing of Clonbullogue and Ballycommon is one to excite the senses. You have two football mad clubs, desperate to see how they would fare in the top flight. They have been the best two teams in the championship and they will produce a very pure, competitive, hard fought game of football.

Clonbullogue should be favourites for this but it is a crown that sits very uneasily on their shoulders. They have the benefit of a year longer in this grade of football and they have a point to prove after losing to Bracknagh in last year's final.

Clonbullogue had won the intermediate in great style in 2021 and went straight to the final in their first year up. However, they didn't perform on the day as their parish rivals, Bracknagh, inspired by county star Peter Cunningham were convincing winners.

Now Ballycommon find themselves in a similar position.They were very impressive winners of the Intermediate Football Championship in 2022 and have adapted very well to the higher level of football. They don't have a marquee forward in the mould of Peter Cunningham, but they have a very well balanced, exciting, fit and athletic team.

There is a case to be made for making Ballycommon favourites. They were more impressive in the semi-finals but their victory was against a Cappincur side who performed very poorly on the day while Clonbullogue were pushed to the pin of their collar by Gracefield.

Many people thought Clonbullogue would win last year's final but when it came down to it, they were overpowered. The same could happen Ballycommon on Saturday and you can't fully trust them to perform.

It creates the scene for an intriguing tussle. Both sides are capable of playing outstanding, exciting football on their day. They have exceptional footballers but finals have a life of their own and it is part of their intrigue that some players don't play well, things don't fall into place according to a pre-ordained plan.

The sides already met in the group stages with Clonbullogue winning by 1-12 to 0-8. Both teams were missing players that day and it will have no bearing at all on Sunday's final.

Ballycommon were disappointed with their display that day. They had made a flying start with a very impressive 2-12 to 1-6 win over a fancied Tubber but came up against a very hungry Clonbullogue. Clonbullogue had lost to Gracefield in their first game, 3-7 to 1-10, and a second defeat would have put them under severe pressure. They treated it as a knockout game and performed accordingly.

Ballycommon showed their mettle by bouncing back with a very impressive 2-16 to 1-12 win over Gracefield in their third game while Clonbullogue had a 1-12 to 2-6 win over struggling Tubber.

We thought Clonbullogue were into the semi-final as group winners but Gracefield's appeal moved those goalposts and they ended up having to play a quarter-final. While many people in Clonbullogue were annoyed at Gracefield's appeal, they did very well by not letting it infiltrate to their football team.

When they did eventually play Ballycumber in the quarter-final, they gave a very competent professional performance in an easy 1-20 to 2-7 win. That extra game certainly didn't do Clonbullogue any harm. They didn't need any extra motivation for a semi-final but it sharpened them up and gave their confidence a boost.

Ballycommon have performed very well in the knockout stages. They played very good football in their 1-12 to 1-4 quarter-final win over Walsh Island, easing off once it became clear that they were going to win. They continued that into the semi-final where they beat Cappincur by 1-13 to 0-6, and never conceded a score from play.

Ballycommon's form does come with a caveat. Walsh Island and Cappincur both came out of the weaker group 1 and neither were at the races but it is still convincing stuff by Ballycommon. No matter who you are playing, the concession of 1-10 in two knockout championship games and just 1-2 from play, commands complete respect.

Clonbullogue have the benefit of a stiffer test against Gracefield in the semi-final. Gracefield played well in the first half and Clonbullogue had to find top gear in the second half to win by 2-11 to 1-10. The quarter-final against Ballycumber was a bit of a non event – having lost to Gracefield in the first quarter-final, there was a case to be made for Ballycumber not playing a second one in those circumstances. They were fully entitled to do so and did nothing wrong but they simply couldn't get themselves back on track for it and Clonbullogue's win was not a surprise.

Ballycommon's quarter-final win over Walsh Island came at a dear price as influential midfielder, Tom Mealiffe's season ended with a bad knee injury in the dying moments. The game was over at that stage and Mealiffe's injury was very unfortunate. It is a huge blow to Ballycommon. He is one of their most important players, a fine player with a good engine and they could do with him.

That loss has been balanced by the return of Gareth Mann. The long serving Mann didn't play in the group or the quarter-final but started in the semi-final win, playing well and scoring two points. His game will have come on with training and Mann can have a big role to play in the final – he is a lovely cultured footballer, capable of kicking points off his trusty left boot.

Clonbullogue will need big games from Jack McEvoy and Keith O'Neill to win. McEvoy has made good progress this year, playing for Offaly, and Clonbullogue will be banking on him giving them a slight edge at midfield.

Keith O'Neill is their star player, a very fast exciting forward. His performance will have a big bearing on the outcome. He is not old or mature enough yet to dominate the final as Peter Cunningham did last year but he can certainly emerge as match winner. He didn't get going fully in the semi-final but the big occasion won't faze him in the slightest.

It will be interesting to see who Ballycommon match up against him. Last year, we presumed they would put county defender David Dempsey on Raheen's star attacker, Dylan Hyland in the intermediate final. Instead they accorded Dempsey a sort of roving role and Aidan Bracken did the man marking job on Hyland. He succeeded to a significant degree and Ballycommon could try the same again.

Dempsey could also be the man for the job. A long serving Offaly defender, he is playing a more conventional defensive role for Ballycommon this year. Crucially, he is also having his best ever year in the Ballycommon colours, showing great leadership and playing very well. He is really driving his side on and he will be one of the big influences here.

Expect a fast, tough game. Ruari O'Neill is playing very well in the Clonbullogue attack and Jamie Guing is a very accurate finisher.

For Ballycommon, Ryan Kenny has been a very good addition to the attack this year and Sean Conway is also back in the equation for a start up front. Conor Dunne has found his best form for Ballycommon and is their most important forward – his direct running can create a lot of openings and he is well able to finish.

There is the possibiliy of either side winning by a few points in this one. Both have the potential to ignite on the big day and both could also have a poor day at the office. The likelihood, however, is that it will go right down to the wire. It is a hard one to call but there is something very impressive about Ballycommon at the moment, they are playing very well and they can make the jump back into top flight football for the first time since the mid 1980s.

Verdict – Ballycommon.